Wisteria
by Lilacnightmares
Summary: She was only trying to escape from the lethargy that lingered in the back of her head. Lila didn't expect to find herself in a digital reality one morning, and thrown into the midst of a story that she didn't know the whole picture of. Will her need to trust what should be the enemy be the end of her, or will it help her achieve her answers? BEING REWRITTEN AS: Convallaria Majalis
1. Chapter 1

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/23/2018. MORE CHAPTER EDITS TO FOLLOW.**

* * *

ONE

"A Digital Reality."

* * *

"Wisteria, how are you feeling today?" Her hand was firm against her pad of paper as her pencil began to jot down the little things. Where we could improve on my function and how I could live my day to day without letting my impulsivity control me. This office smelled of disinfectant and cleaner. It wasn't something that bothered me much but it was all I could focus on this whole session. She started and ended every session by asking me how I was feeling at that moment.

The clock on the wall read a quarter past three and that meant we were coming to a close for this meeting.

I leaned against the table in front of me. My hand sinking into my chin as I closed my eyes. "I'm alright. I have had some alright days this month. I haven't felt... acted on the need to purge since my release. Sorry I didn't mention that at the beginning... I've been following my meal plan that we worked out to a tee thanks to my family."

"I'm glad to hear that. You've been doing a very good job lately at keeping up with that. Has there been any change in your mood? In regards to what you were struggling with about your father? You seemed upset during our last session but are you ready to talk about it?" She asked, the quirk of her eyebrow lifting just enough that it caught my attention.

My shoulders lifted into a shrug. "Let's give that a little more time, Karen. I'm doing that on my own right now - there's still a lot I want to think about before I open up about that. It's not bothering me as bad as it was before. I just don't want to deal with that can of worms right now."

"That's understandable, but you know we'll have to deal with that eventually. Just think about how we can better address it for next time." She reminded me, as she set her pen down against her desk. "Let's meet again in two weeks to discuss any more changes... but in the meantime, you can call me whenever you need to talk about anything."

* * *

"What would you do if I told you that sometimes growing up feels like you're burying your childhood and kicking it for good measure?"

The phone was on speaker so I didn't need to put the effort into holding the device in my hand. My older sister was on the other line, she was listening to me this evening since I had managed to catch her at a good time. Lucy had such a lot going on lately in her life - and I did as well, that meant that we couldn't just talk to each other like we used to be able to do. While I felt like this was a heavy weight upon me - I never expressed it to her completely... not when she had a small child on to tend to.

On the other end of the phone, she let out a small scoff at the question I inquired. "Have you been binging Disney movies while you're feeling the height of your depression again? That's kind of a weird way to deal with all you're going through right now, but if it's helping go for it."

I rolled my eyes. This was her attempt at trying to tease me - to make me feel better about myself. "There's nothing wrong with indulging in fairy tales as long as you know how to separate fantasy and reality. I know that. Sometimes I think it would be more interesting to know that you can expect your life to work out like that... life is a little different than being a Cinderella case, where your misfortune can lead you to something better you weren't expecting along the way, but hey, I can dream."

It was ironic that I spent a lot of my time trying to illustrate paintings for people that wrote stories like that.

"And I'm still dreaming I can actually fly." Lucy joked. It was always great to know her sarcasm was holding up ever since she had her daughter - as if I could ever believe that it was going to go away just because she had a mini-me in the making. I grumbled under my breath and she just laughed. "What's got you feeling like that anyway?"

"Oh..." I shrugged my shoulders as if she could see it. With a little sigh, I admitted to her just a little bit of information. "A little of this, a little of that... you know the deal. It's just one of those days, Lucy."

Lucy gave a soft hum in response. "How's everything holding up other than that?"

"I've been rocking a killer headache today, but I just took some painkillers that might be able to knock it down just enough that I can get some rest later if I try. Really, other then that it's been kind of a decent week if you ask me over." I grimaced as I remembered the one point bad point of my week that I wanted to forget. "Mom did drop by, but that's not worth mentioning."

"Oh." Lucy didn't really have to say much else about that.

It was coming out like word vomit. This feeling that Lucy had heard something from the woman that I already knew. "If she told you that I hadn't cleaned up the place, she's exaggerating like always." I paused as my eyes darted around the living room of my apartment with a grimace. "A few magazines on the floor is enough to start World War Three in her opinion. You know how that goes."

My eyes lingered on the flowers that sat on the corner table next to my lampshade when they reached them. It was a simple pot and a big array of flowers that my Mother preferred. They were a shade of yellow that I wasn't fond of, they reminded of something that I wanted to forget desperately, however, no matter how hard I glared at the floral arrangement it would spontaneously combust. My Mom didn't listen whenever I told her not to drop by flowers if she wasn't going to remember the ones that I couldn't stand. "You know what kind of flowers she dropped off when she visited though?"

"Sunflowers?" She asked.

I rolled over on the couch so I wasn't facing the vase. "Nothing can be that yellow and be genuine about the light it gives off, who do those flowers think they are, the sun?" I said.

There was a pause on the other line for a moment. Lucy sounded like she was shifting something in her hands and then set it down onto something like a table from the clank in the background. "You've said that before but I'm not quite sure that I understood what you were getting at when you told me. I'll try to remind her to pick up something different if she wants to bring you some next time. alright?"

"Much appreciated, sis."

The light from my phone diminished into darkness.

* * *

It was the late evening I found myself outside as I wandered from my second story apartment into the nearby park that garnered a bridge walkway to the other side of it. It was a spot that I found myself visiting a lot in my spare time to get some fresh air and get free of my stuffy apartment for a change of scenery. This was nothing compared to the land that my Grandparents owned - cared for, and tended to. That was a vibrant garden that boasted a lot of travelers when things were in bloom in the spring.

My hands leaned against the safety railing of the bridge as I propped myself up to take in the view of Earth's atmosphere. It was hazy tonight but I knew the cycle by heart enough that it didn't bother me so much that I was unable to see it for myself.

It would be bright waves of blue and white during the day and a cascading wave of black and far galaxies and nebulae naked to the eyes would give hints of purples and blues during the night time if you looked hard enough. At dawn break, it was guaranteed to be soft hues of any color covering the land, and during sunset, the sky would transform into a sea of reds and oranges. It was always changing and at no point would it ever be the same view for you once that moment's passed.

The sky above us was never the same, yet, many of us just liken it to be being just dark and light. The night and the day were two sides of the same coin, that's how the saying goes anyway. There's more to it than just two points of view. My point is: What most people don't notice is the edges between the coin; The in between of the in between. If you aren't looking for it there's a chance you might miss what you're searching for, but rest assured there's more to the night and day then just that.

Sometimes I would find that I liked the sun more than the moon, and vice versa.

Lately, I had been thinking a lot about the world and how the way things worked. There was a lot of time for self-reflection that you could go from when you were bound to a hospital room - or gently taken to the countryside so you would be unable to do harm to yourself. What is good and what is bad? These things don't always have a big meaning. Sometimes what you think is good for you is actually bad for you and I had long been trying to pull myself away from what had caused me so much trouble.

The mist of this night was eerie but strangely comfortable.

The time on my phone indicated that it was just minutes before sunrise... that meant that this mist would soon break and give way to the sunshine. I slid the device back into my purse and decided to take a step back from the edge of the guard-rail. The water was calm but the current was steady as always. If you looked hard enough then you would see the way leaves from a nearby tree descended into the water and flowed down the stream at along the lines of the waves. A slow but ever so meticulous rate.

"Huh... The last remnants of winter appear to be leaving," I mused.

If I was put on the spot to pick one of the different phases of the Earth's rotation, I don't think I could tell you an answer. Be it the seasons or the change of our sky there were things that made each of them intriguing and things that left less to be desired. Although, it felt to me that winter had been hanging over my head along with the foggy sky for quite some time now.

Winter, a cold and unforgiving day after day of surprises that you couldn't expect; It wasn't the winter when the first snowfall made you feel excited to step out your front door and see it twinkle from the sky. I had grown restless in the past few weeks with my Mother checking up on me periodically throughout the week, her barrage of attention and advice were overwhelming to deal with since it came almost daily - despite how hard I was pushing my own independence and freedom again. That could have been the reason I left my home after a night of tossing and turning in my sheets.

It was uncharacteristically abnormal for me to leave my house these days during the daytime, much less come out for a stroll on the nearby bridge that overlooked the riverbed.

But, I went out to leave my cloudy thoughts.

I had thrown on the nearest outfit that I had and left my house into the vastness of the night to search for the answer to this aimless feeling in the back of my head. When I was still in high school, I would peer out my bedroom window to watch the stars and search for that one that would float across the sky. It wasn't often that I would locate a shooting star, but when I did it left me feeling a sense of satisfaction. I would often make a wish on it... it would be something that you could expect, a girl wishing for something different then what she was living.

It had been a while since I had seen the night sky begin to leave and the sun rose above the horizon in person. Sometimes moonlight would pour into my bedroom and it would make it harder for me to get some rest.

Today it wouldn't be possible to see it clearly.

That was ironic... how I usually avoided it but the time that I went looking for it, it wasn't to be found. There was a fog surrounding the bridge that kept me from seeing either end of the city when I darted my eyes back and forth. It would have left anybody else feeling uncomfortable at the unknown all around them. That was the way that life worked sometimes.

There was no gratification guarantee for any of us. "Well, I got some fresh air at the very least." I reminded myself.

My older sister was my closest friend but she had responsibilities of her own to tend to which left me stuck in a cycle I wasn't fond of keeping anymore, and my father. I didn't like to think about him anymore. It may have been the fact that I was standing on the very spot that he stood in before his body dangled over the edge and tipped over into the water down below for the last few minutes - but there was a lot of grief there that I didn't want to address just yet.

Pain... wounds that still had not completely come to heal.

My mother was always overbearing and you couldn't tell her no when you spoke with her because she would make you see things her way sooner or later.

Mom had been reminding me ever since my health had begun to deteriorate that I take some time to smell the roses and not exert myself too strenuously when I felt my limits slithering up the nape of my neck like a snake. She would be pleased when I told her I wasn't just wasting away in my bedroom playing video games. I did have work later this week to focus on so she wouldn't have the chance to get on my case about how I was feeling if I was busy during working hours.

Those days when I wasn't dealing with my problems I had found something new to do... and I was more than willing to throw myself into video games, Otome games specifically. I had been playing a lot of them since I had wound up in the hospital and it continued after my treatment.

It was nice to have somebody care about you even if they were digital. It was a boost to your self-esteem, and I always was searching for that validation. I hadn't been playing games for the past few days. I had been dealing with elevated nausea and headaches, spurned from my problems that I hadn't been able to totally move on from emotionally and physically. There were many that I spent my time playing - but Mystic Messenger was definitely one that I could easily access from my phone and play whenever I wanted.

I had been playing it for some time but I had only finished playing the Deep Route just recently. There was news of a new route coming out that would change the way we thought about the characters but I couldn't know what they meant by that. A V route... maybe? It didn't seem likely that they would make a route for him, and it was even slimmer for someone like Unknown. Wouldn't that be interesting? The chill air against my skin reminded me that I should turn back head for my apartment.

I counted the cracks in the pavement as I headed back - when I counted the last crack, I lifted my head up and looked around to see if the dense fog had begun to clear just yet.

"Huh?"

I couldn't recognize my surroundings at all.

The morning fog was strong enough that I couldn't entirely make out the surrounding buildings but they were clearly not the ones that should have been here. Now, I had experienced periods of fatigue and confusion that left me confused about myself or my environment at times, but this was a different feeling that I was experiencing. This wasn't like my town. I pinched myself and that proved that I was awake and - yes, this was happening. Grabbing my bag, I tore through it to find my phone.

When I looked down at my phone I noticed an application was installing.

My apps usually updated by themselves during the might when I slept, but this one had a name I wasn't familiar with... Against my better judgment, I decided to see what it was. It opened on my screen and gave me the option to input some fairly basic information and then it gave me one more option.

I plugged in my alias as the nickname.

The application didn't give me any option but to enter a mysterious looking chatroom.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Unknown:** Hi! Finally, someone to talk to!

I stared at my phone screen uncertain if what I was seeing was real, had I accidentally opened Mystic Messenger and started a new game? The static of the background reminded me of the first I didn't remember doing that... Might my phone be on the fritz? I thought.

The background of the chat room was of data and code but it wasn't exactly like the one that I had put to my memory. I clicked the dialogue box. My keyboard sprung open... And the line flashed as if it was really waiting for my input into the box. It didn't give me a choice. It wanted me to input something as a response... Nervously I began to type a message.

 **Wisteria:** Oh... hello?

 **Unknown:** I hope I didn't surprise you. Don't be nervous I'm just an "ordinary person".

 **Wisteria:** Usually when someone says that, they are anything but ordinary, Mr. Unknown.

 **Unknown:** You're funny lol I can't really say that I'm extraordinary when I'm introducing myself. Shouldn't I be humble and modest?

 **Wisteria:** I suppose I might have cracked a joke too if I was introducing myself to somebody for the first time too. I can understand the sentiment you're going for. Who are you, exactly?

Who are you, indeed. I clicked out of the chat for a moment to see the name of the application.

 _RFA_...?

It was called RFA Messenger. That was suspicious enough for me to wonder what was going on. It didn't say Mystic Messenger despite looking damn-near identical to the platform with some minor visual differences. Why did it appear so much like it? I wondered. Was this one of fake versions that appeared on the app store? I didn't remember downloading anything like that - I certainly didn't put one on my waitlist. So... What the heck? "I saw one of those before but... this looks too legitimate..." I mumbled as I inspected the screen further with scrutiny. "What the heck?"

Another message came in.

 **Unknown:** I'm the developer of this app

What do you think of it?

I was hoping you would like it...

In fact, I'm really excited. Because you're the first one to come in, Wisteria!

I was worried that no one would come in while I was making the app.

 **Wisteria:** I'm not sure I'm made up my mind on my opinion just yet.

Though, I'm flattered the developer wanted to talk to me directly. Is there something that I can do for you?

 **Unknown:** Oh! I'm so glad you asked!

cuz there is a favor I want to ask of you

Though, it is kind of much to ask from a stranger. There is something I really want you to help me with

Whoever this guy was I wasn't sure if I wanted to trust him. I had a hard time telling people no, however, so I decided to hear him out.

 **Wisteria:** I guess I can. Sure!

 **Unknown:** You already decided without hearing me out? My heart's fluttering... I'm so lucky that you came here. This app isn't just a messenger app, it's a game messenger app. I wanted to ask if you could test it.

 **Wisteria:** Why you couldn't you test it yourself? Oh, are you so focused on putting it together that it's hard to look for bugs? I guess it would be easy to overlook something if you've been looking at it for a while. That happens to me sometimes when I'm drawing something.

 **Unknown:** You could say something like that I also think an outsider's opinion like yours would be a huge benefit to my game, though as well.

 **Wisteria:** Hm...

 **Unknown:** This app... lets you chat with me but also good-looking AIs. I may be a good looking guy too. But that's for you to decide - The chats aren't everything. There are also hidden stories... Amusing stories that will stir your imagination. All you would need to do... is to play the game and tell me your honest opinion.

 **Unknown:** These are the characters that come out of the game. ^^ They're not real people but characters created with AI. **What do you think? Don't you think it will be fun?**

If I had been holding my breath at that moment it broke past my lips into a gasp. That image! He had sent an image was of the... It was the original title screen of the game when it debuted in the app store! Somebody must have been playing a clever trick on me. Except... Nobody that I was close to knew that I had been spending a lot of time playing Otome games, be it Mystic Messenger on my phone or the few of them that were on my laptop. The only person that might have known about it was my Dad - given he was still around when I started playing in the hospital.

So that couldn't be the case. It was bizarre... yet, compelling. Even if it was some kind of joke, I felt like I should go along with it. Against the feeling in my stomach, once again, I decided to see what would happen if I were to agree to this. I didn't have anything to do except paint and submit my work to the publisher or the writer this week. If this was a joke or a game it would end soon if I did this.

 **Wisteria:** Alright, sure, I'll help you out!

 **Unknown:** Did you find a pretty face that you like on the poster? If so, you are truly fascinating lol

 **Unknown:** I've studied real hard to make this messenger game. I hope you enjoy it. ^^ I think it will be better if we talk over the phone about the details. Let's talk over the phone. Don't freak out when you see an unknown number pop up, okay?

 **Unknown has left the chatroom.**

The chatroom fizzled into darkness and disappeared from my view. I spun around to look at the bridge behind me. It wasn't the same one that I had just stepped off of at all... And the strangest thing was, I thought I saw a stream along the sky that looked like something had warped the space around the bridge just now.

* * *

As the fog cleared up and the sun began to overtake the sky above me, that was when I knew that things weren't as they should have been with a new sense of clarity. This wasn't my neighborhood. These weren't the streets that I knew like the back of my hand. These buildings were just as normal as any old city would have but they weren't the ones that should've been here.

I had walked a few blocks ahead to see if anything might have struck a nerve in my memory but it was no use. I could feel the anxiety and panic budding in the pit of my throat. This was not the ideal situation but I needed to stay calm. I counted to ten... then took a deep breath. I looked at my phone and at whim, opened my Map app just to confirm the theory of my proximate location - the app surged to life and began to search for me, it dinged when it was finished and scrolled out to find my answer.

I was...

This wasn't home.

My phone started to vibrate and I fumbled with it in my hands before pressing the answer button. "H-Hello?" I asked.

"Hey, it's me, the one you were just chatting with." He said.

"...Unknown?" Were my hands shaking? Was my voice quivering? What was happening right now? My mind was whirling around at a hundred miles an hour and I didn't know what to do. I needed to talk. What did I say? My nervous laugh escaped my lips. "Oh. You told me not to be frightened but I have to admit the sudden call startled me."

"Yes, that's me. I hope I didn't startle you too much... Your voice sounds so cute over the phone, I can't wait to meet you in person." He paused for a moment. Unknown was someone I didn't understand entirely. I could guess his motives and what he doing from what I knew about him from Seven's route but it wasn't enough. "As I said in the chatroom, I called you to explain this app. And I thought talking to you like this would make me sound more, credible. Really, there's a tutorial in the game that can explain everything to the player... but it's still being modified, you see... Do you remember those characters I showed you?"

Did I know them? Yes. The five members of Rika's Fundraising Association that were accessible when I played the game. Yoosung Kim, Jaehee Kang, Hyun "Zen" Ryu, Jumin Han, and Luciel "Seven" Choi. The whole point of the Otome was centered around those characters and they were the components of the game. But did he know that I did as far I knew? No.

"I do," I said.

"Yeah, that image I sent you of the game consists of the characters that I've been developing. Those will your chatting partners... All five characters in the image are members of an association called the R.F.A." Unknown explained away his plans. He really believed that this was a game? Or was this some kind of ploy? "R.F.A is a closed organization with the purpose of holding fundraising parties... You've been set as the party coordinator, in charge of inviting guests. Just think of it as you being the one in charge of choosing who attends the party."

His voice sounded very familiar. Although, I wasn't sure if Unknown was who I truly assumed he was just yet. I couldn't just gauge by his voice through my cell phone.

"Whomever you invite as this coordinator will probably gain you more affection points with certain characters, right?" I said. "Though it would depend on how well you can pick up which answers are right and wrong."

"You pick up pretty quickly." There was a chuckle on the other end of the phone. "It would be pretty boring if all you had to do was just that, though, wouldn't you say? You will find out more of their secrets by chatting or calling with them. It would be faster to learn by playing it if I'm honest."

So what did he want me to do? He wanted me to test his game that wasn't really a game. These were real people with real problems and lives. That was the main purpose of Mystic Messenger from my world. You play the game and solve the problems for a character. Unknown leading MC to Rika's apartment was the only scenario I was aware of that lead her to the RFA.

This wasn't like that.

I was somewhere that I didn't know the lay of the land and I had no way of finding my way back home. Mystic Messenger was set in South Korea and that was leagues away from where my home was. This wasn't what I knew. I couldn't exactly refuse what he was offering If I did, that might run the possibility of something worse then being on the streets of a country that I didn't entirely know. If I was really in this game right now than I could cause a bad ending by doing something wrong.

That didn't leave much of an edge room to make any other answer than the one I had to. Was it possible this was a parallel reality to Mystic Messenger where Unknown was really just trying to make a game? That would be too easy of a theory to believe in. Something was going on right now that I couldn't be sure of. His intentions have to be similar to the regular story...? He wants me to get the RFA on my side, so they could be lured to Mint Eye one by one for his savior... Rika. How would I be able to do this, under the guise of an Otome? It didn't entirely make sense given what I know.

I had no choice but I decided that I would stick with it. My silence might have left him nervous about what I was planning - but I brought myself out of my head and gave him my answer. "Sure, alright, I'll do it for you."

"Thanks! I was worried you would refuse." His cheery response caught me off guard. I didn't remember Unknown coming off like this... He was supposed to brash and calculated. "Right, but the game hasn't been released yet and it cannot be revealed to the market. So, to perform the tests, you have to come over here." He said.

Come here? He couldn't mean what I thought. Was he intending to bring me straight to Mint Eye? "Where's here...?" I asked him.

"You probably won't know even if I told you. It's in the mountains and hard to see from Maps. To maintain confidentiality before the release, it's being developed in a sparsely populated area... Of course, you don't have to come here by yourself if it's too troublesome. I'll send a car over to you if you tell me your address. You could hop onto that and head this way." Well, that answered that question.

This was the kind of thing that your mother and father would tell you never to do when you're talking with strangers. It wasn't like I could get his location and head there myself. I doubted that that sort of liberty was ahead of me. "You're not ridiculing my map app or my sense of direction, are you Mr. Unknown? I'm very capable, you know."

"Oh, of course not! It would be easier for you is all I'm saying, and it keeps everything tied to the game confidential." Unknown was quick to reassure me of this. "Well, alright." I gave him the address. If I was going to find out how I got here and understand the situation at hand - It meant that I was going to have to through myself into the unknown... literally.

"I'll send a car there right now. Please be there. Keep in mind that the road there is confidential, so just do as I tell you and it'll be alright. I should hang up now. I need to get ready." He hung up.

I was left with my thoughts and the jarring realization that I didn't know what was to expect. What had I just gotten myself into?

I rubbed my eyes. What was worse was the colors of this city seemed muted, not as lively as it should have been. At first, I thought it was my eyes adjusting to the sun once again... But this was something not natural... Like it was not three dimensional - which our world was supposed to be but it suddenly was not for me.

My theory was confirmed when a driver appeared a half an hour later, with a blindfold in tow and the appearance of a two-dimensional person.

* * *

The driver drove for a period of time that I couldn't gauge, the roads twisted and turned so much that I would never have had a chance to make a mental map of the roadway if I wanted to do it. It was well outside of the residential area that I had once been in. It was at least an hour away from anything at most - no wonder it took so long for anyone to find out what they were running here. "We have arrived." The driver informed me when the car finally went silent and died down and was swallowed by the noise of nature. "You'll need to wait here for a moment, and place the mask back on."

I did as I was instructed to do. It was a few minutes before the driver spoke up once more: "Mr. Ray has arrived."

The door opened to my right. "Welcome. I've been waiting. Welcome to this wonderful place. It wouldn't have been an easy decision to come here... Thanks for trusting me."

It wasn't that I trusted him - this was the only thing that I could accept at the moment. I knew better than to say his name, his true name if it were him, instead, I opted for: "Unknown?"

"You knew who I was just by listening to the sound of my voice?" He laughed that off. It was the voice that I knew it to be from my time listening to him in the game. "Yeah. It's me, username Unknown. Didn't you think Unknown was a funny name? It was a default name because I didn't set up a username. No special meaning. My name is Ray. Thank you for coming all this way."

"I really wanted to show you around," He continued. "I prepped up this and that while waiting for you."

Show me around? This was new. The Unknown that I knew didn't play around like this. My fingers lingered against the edge of the mask. I wanted desperately to confirm his identity - the voice wasn't enough for me to accept my situation.

"Oh, don't take off the mask just yet. You can't take it off until you reach your room." He said.

"My room?" I echoed him. I wasn't entirely sure what to make of that. That meant that there was somewhere in this place that I wouldn't be leaving anytime soon. He seemed intrigued by how well I was playing into this on the surface. "Yes, I prepared a comfortable space for you while you're here... I mean, while you're testing you have to stay here. I was worried though since I didn't know what you liked... I hope you'll like it." He said. "I'll hold your hand on the way down from the car."

I took his hand. "Thank you."

"Oh, no thank you. You are doing what I tell you to do." Ray said. "Here, I'll lead the way."

* * *

He lead the way into the building and I stayed close by his side. Ray, as he told me, didn't say much at first until we had been walking for a while around the jungle that was this massive building. This was no different than the roadways that lead to this place. You couldn't try to know how you were turning if you wanted to do it. An escape plan wouldn't be possible yet. "You have no idea what a relief it was when you said you'll help. What a relief, thanks to you. You'll be a big help."

I looked in his general location. "Well, you didn't give me any reason not to trust you," I told him even if it was only half sincere. "You seem like a nice guy, I honestly don't mind helping you." It was better to be on his good side. I didn't know how to predict his movements - I liked Saeran, as much as I liked anyone in the RFA, but I wasn't sure what to expect from him when I wasn't trapped in Rika's apartment. He was acting so pleasant and cheery compared to the twisted persona he had garnered from this place.

This response seemed to be good enough.

"That's very kind of you," Ray said. "I'll do my best to make you happy while you're here for your diligence." He stopped in his tracks right then as his footsteps died down "Oh. We're here, come I'll remove your blindfold." My eyes readjusted to the light and he came into focus at last in my vision. It was Saeran, _it was him_. Why was he referring to himself as Ray now?

"This would be our first time seeing each other face to face, right?" He was smiling. It wouldn't be for me. This was my first time seeing him in a light different than the dark demeanor and look he had as Unknown, the sole hacker against the RFA. Ray was much softer in appearance somehow - Ray wore a magenta overcoat over a grey vest and white button-up, a striking blue flower was pinned to the lapel of his overcoat. It was definitely a change to the leather and ripped clothes.

If he noticed any hesitation in me, I couldn't be sure. "I suppose it is." I murmured when I found the use of my voice. His character was one that had a lot of struggle. I could relate to his pain to many levels but seeing him in the flesh made me very... wary. "It is nice to meet you, you know."

"This is your room. I did my best to prepare everything in here to your liking... still, let me know of any inconvenience. You have full access to this floor of our headquarters, but you'll have to let me know before you go anywhere else. The reason... you know why, right?"

"Because it's strictly confidential like you said." I echoed his words from earlier.

"Correct. You have a great memory... I don't hate smart people. I get the feeling you'll pull this off quite well." He said. There was something in his tone that left me feeling like there really was more to this then he let on. If the RFA truly were real as Ray was, what did that mean for me? "We still have some time left, I'll explain a bit about the game. As I mentioned before, the purpose of the game is to hold a party with the RFA. All of the characters are the AIs that I have designed. There's one problem as I've tried to make it super realistic with the AIs."

Super-realistic? Was he just trying to downplay how they were really... real? "They aren't self-aware, are they? That would be a concerning bug to deal with." I cocked my head to the side.

He had a small chuckle escape him at my inquiry. "Aha... it's not like that per say. The AIs become just super suspicious when a new person comes in. Your concept is that someone hacked into your messenger and that's how you got into the RFA messenger. Quite suspicious, isn't it?"

"So, everyone is super cautious and it's a little out of hand right now for you." I pointed out.

"Exactly. That's the setting of the game, it's not fun when everyone likes you from the start, is it?" Ray nodded, clearly pleased with my assumption. "They'll ask you about this hacker, of course. But you can't answer them because you know nothing. They will try to pry information out of you though, like your location and this hacker, and they might even try to get information about the creator, me." He continued. "At that, you can't reveal the truth. You must keep the secret until the end. Can you promise me that you won't reveal what we've been talking about to the AIs?"

"It would be game-over otherwise, right?"

That look in his eyes told me my answer.

"I'll do my best," I told him. I wasn't entirely sure that I was going to able to keep that promise, however, I would be doing my best for everyone.

"Thanks! I'm so happy that you're so cooperative! Meeting you might have been... fate. Just remember to avoid a game-over, okay? Everything up until now is a secret, and who I am, the fact that they're AIs are obviously a secret too. Be careful, if the game goes through a forced shut-down, you have to start all over again from the beginning. There are slight differences depending on how you talk to them... but even if they don't accept you from that, just tell them: Someone called Rika sent me to hold the party."

"Rika, huh?"

"She's a character. The other characters will tell you what kind of character she is, but simply put, she's the one who founded the group in the game. And as I mentioned over the phone, your role in the game is party coordinator. Depending on how you talk to those potential guests means whether they will attend or decline." He nodded his head. The run-around he was giving me had my head spinning. It was like he was trying to drill the information into my skull over and over to make sure that I understood him.

"The number of party guests is also dependent on whether or not a good end is reached, right?" I asked. That was how it worked, after all.

"That's a good guess. It'll spoil the fun if I tell you in advance, if you wanna find out, you'll have to play. Inviting the guests is crucial, try to invite them with whole-heartedly. Don't forget that there will also be interesting events beside the party, within the RFA itself, depending on the choices that you make. You'll have to tell me what you think as you play... even the smallest things are okay. Tell me everything, how the party went, what those characters said to you... That way, I'll know how well the game is going... Your role is important."

I nodded my head and reaffirmed my words. "You can count on me."

"You're very confident! I'm also getting more confident thanks to you. I'll work even harder making his app. It was worth waiting for a tester." That last comment seemed to be more for himself than for me. He outstretched his hand towards me with a lift of his right hand. "Here, hand me your phone, I'll add the app for you."

"Here." I lifted the gadget from my bag and into his waiting hands.

"Thanks, it will only take a few minutes!"

I was definitely being used for something.

"Do you have any more questions about the game?" He asked.

"I'm actually a little more interested to learn about you, Ray." I inquired. The more that I understood about him - the easier it might have been for me to understand my environment. What was going on in Magenta? What year was it? What was the RFA going through if Saeran was like this?

Ray seemed startled by the admission. "Me? Hahaha... You're more interesting then I thought. Though I'm not a character inside of the game. I've always dreamed of someone who's a good listener to what I say. My voice is quite small... Most people don't seem to listen very well. Oh, I know I keep emphasizing this but... don't forget to keep the secret, alright? Don't ever... try to get game over easily, promise me that, please?"

"Of course."

I didn't want to face something grim.

He handed my phone back to me with a smile. "Thanks a lot! I want to talk to you some more, but I have to get going now Wisteria. I want you to give it your best, party coordinator." Ray made the move to head to the door after this. I turned around to watch him take a few steps towards the door and when his hand touched the knob - The words left my lips before I could stop myself. "My name isn't Wisteria, you know?"

"Oh?" Ray stopped in his tracks. He was staring at me from the corner of his vision - I'm sure he had his own theories if he hadn't found out already by going through my phone.

"It's not safe to give out your name over the internet so easily you know. That's why people use usernames in the first place." Anybody else with the right mind would have refused him and called the police about the operation. That was the realistic option. But if I dropped the line and did that would it really solve the problem? How would I know that that was going to do it? Was somebody watching me while I was on the phone with Ray? Would they have gotten me if I did? What was even a stronger thought was: I couldn't be sure that I even existed in this reality.

There was a heavy possibility that any attempts at searching for me would be filled with confusion and endless error screens.

"Is there a reason why you chose that one?" Ray asked.

"I guess you could say that, or it could no different than how you accepted Unknown as yours," I said. "It's just one of those things you learn the truth of after you've been friends for a while." I wasn't sure why I felt compelled to be honest with him. Somewhere inside of me, I knew that Saeran wasn't intentionally a villain in this story, he had been coerced and deceived by Rika for a long time and it took its toll and twisted him into someone he was not. I wanted to trust him, or maybe I just wanted him to trust me.

"It's actually Lila, Ray."

"Lila, huh?" With those words in his mind, he exited the room and went back to who knows where in the building.

This was different then the Mystic Messenger I had been playing, the last route I had completed was Seven - It had seemed to be the route that explained everything and cleared up all the answers that we learned along the way in the other routes with the RFA members. The fact that I was standing here meant there had to be something more to the game or this was some kind of alternate universe. The moment Saeran- no, Ray left me to my thoughts was the first moment that I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror. I had to do a double take on my own reflection.

"It's me...?"

I raised my hand to the mirror- my fingertips brushing against the edge of the cool glass. It was as if I were me, but I wasn't me. As if it wasn't jarring enough to my vision for the world to appear two dimensional- it appeared as though I had been changed to match my surroundings.

My eyes and hair were the same color as always. My features were much more subtle here, I almost wasn't sure this was me. I was wearing the same dress that I had on when I left my house this morning, and a reassuring pinch lets me know this was more than mere fantasy. My figure was as thin as it had become... I knew underneath my clothes there was the body I hated and yet it still belonged to me.

My heart pounded in my chest at a resounding rate.

"It really is me."

My phone went off in my hand. I lifted it into view and saw the notification alerting me to an open chatroom that I could enter. That meant that my game had officially begun.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

LIE-LAH. A girl who has got dragged into a mess she doesn't even know the first thing about.

So, instead of updating my other stories I got excited about a new idea and I found myself writing this... I wasn't sure if I wanted to post it or not, but I went ahead and did it. It may seem a little close to the original first day of Another Story, but there's divergence coming after this so get yourself ready for that!


	2. Chapter 2

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/24/2018.**

* * *

TWO

"Unexpected Offers."

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN** : I saw on the news yesterday that Jumin's new book is now a bestseller.

 **Yoosung:** Oh that - You mean Jumin's quote collection book?

 **ZEN** : Yeah that book, isn't the title so strange too?

 **707** : The successful path of a certain man!

HAPPY EMOJI

 **Yoosung** : lolll so cringe loll

 **ZEN** : Yea... Why is it even selling? Who the hell buys it? Even the name of the book is full of it!

 **707** : Someone who wanna succeed like him?

 **ZEN** : I don't get it -_- for real. He's the standard to success? One with a golden heart should be successful!

 **Yoosung** : Then how golden is ur heart?

 **ZEN** : More golden then the next-to-be CEO dude;;;

 **707** : I like his book, its hilarious lol I can literally hear Jumin's voice dubbed when I'm reading it

 **ZEN** : ANNOYED EMOJI Ergh... It creeps me out just thinking about it.

 **707** : Success is not something you work hard for. If you are competent, success will naturally follow.

 **Yoosung** : oh god

 **ZEN:** Hey ... STOP IT.

 **Yoosung** : I think I just heard Jumin's voice.

 **Jumin Han** : That quote must have been your favorite. I will keep that in mind while writing the sequel.

 **ZEN** : Don't do that!

 **Yoosung** : AMAZED EMOJI

 **ZEN** : Don't write it.

 **Yoosung** : There's a sequel?

 **Jumin Han** : Yes.

 **ZEN** : I said don't write it.

 **Jaehee Kang** : ... The meeting with the publisher just ended.

 **V** : If the sequel is coming out, I guess a lot of people are reading it. Is it coming out as a series?

 **Jumin Han** : Not sure. Today's contract was finalized for book 3, for now.

 **ZEN** : ANNOYED EMOJI OMG...

 **707** : OOOOH MUST PREORDER

 **ZEN** : There are two more follow-ups of that weird book?

 **707** : I shud memorize all the words.

 **Jumin Han:** PLEASED EMOJI I am pleased to have such a loyal reader.

 **707** : Villains twinge in pain when you recite 1 by 1 to them. Lol

 **ZEN** : what's your purpose then?

 **707** : V, have u read the book too?

 **V** : I do have the book since Jumin sent it to me but I haven't had the chance to read it yet. Seeing how everyone's reacting, it's making me curious... I should spare some time someday to read it.

 **ZEN:** No, V...;;;; I think it's better if you don't.

 **Yoosung** : Jumin's book... Seems like it's selling well.

Do you think it would come into my school's library?

 **Jaehee Kang** : I do not know, if requested, it might.

 **ZEN** : I don't know who'll request such a book..;;;

Have you read the book yet Jaehee?

 **Jaehee Kang** : ...Ah yes, I did read it. But I closed it after reading one page.

 **707** : lol

 **Jaehee Kang** : Felt like I was working...

 **ZEN** : If I... Get to have his book... I think that'll make two of us

 **Jaeger Kang** : As Luciel said, I could hear Mr. Han's voice from the first line of the book;;

 **ZEN** : Omg never ever want that to happen

 **Jumin Han** : You do not like my voice?

 **Jaehee Kang** : I did not want to feel as if I was working from home.

 **Yoosung** : You're a secretary, is it okay to not read it?

 **Jumin Han** : I cannot force her to read my book if that is not her taste. No need to force her, it's selling well already.

 **ZEN** : Jeez;;; what a show-off

 **V** : It's true. It's been a bestseller for a while now.

 **Jumin Han** : I'm telling you... I've never been a show-off. I was only born extraordinary.

 **ZEN** : ANNOYED EMOJI

 **Yoosung** : Frankly, I can't refute that.

Woohoo boo... I so do not want to study.

 **Jaehee Kang** : Everything will pass by if you just roll with it.

HAPPY EMOJI

 **707** : ?

?

?

 **Yoosung** : what's wrong?

 **Jaehee Kang** : Luciel, do not hog the chat room.

 **707** : SHOCKED EMOJI

 **ZEN** : What's wrong with you? Did a cockroach pop out or something?

 **707** : INTRUDER INTRUDER

 **Jaehee Kang** : If it's a cockroach, use Kombat.

 **707** : WEEEOWWEEE WEEEOWEEE Issuing security alert!

 **Yoosung** : Seven;;;

 **Jaehee Kang** : The hogging has started.

 **ZEN** : What do you mean intruder? In your room...? Or in the chatroom?

A slew of pandemonium ensued in the chat room with a flurry of confused emojis and reactions from various members of the RFA. They had noticed my presence... Well, Seven finally had. They tried to get the answers out of each other but they wouldn't find any from the others. I was almost too overwhelmed myself to type a response to the members despite the flashing box in front of my eyes. They would be expecting me to explain myself rather quickly now that they had noticed my username.

I groaned.

 **Wisteria:** Oh, pardon me. I didn't mean to cause a commotion in your chat room;;;

 **707** : Too late for that lololol

 **ZEN** : This isn't the time to joke around!

 **Jaehee Kang** : Identify yourself.

 **Jumin Han** : Suspicious how V has no idea what's going on.

 **ZEN** : Seven, did you distribute this as a public app?

 **707** : CONFUSED EMOJI

Nope! Huuh, W-a-i-t

 **Yoosung** : what what;

 **707** : lololol There's a written challenge email in my spam box.

 **ZEN** : CONFUSED EMOJI Did you stir up trouble somewhere?

 **707** : Yes... Seems likely.

 **Jaehee Kang** : ANNOYED EMOJI Why don't you explain the whole story from the beginning?

 **Jumin Han** : Why are we moving from an Intruder/intrusion situation to a challenge?

 **707:** hahhahah...ahahah..

 **Jumin Han** : Explain the casualty.

 **707:** I hacked into a server that hackers use four days ago... I left a cat paw print! Meowing... They sent a challenge for me to take revenge.

 **ZEN** : To the spam box...?

 **Jumin Han** : Cat paw print...?

 **707** : I was thinking that they hacked this messenger server to take revenge ahahhahahhaha

 **ZEN:** WHAT IN THE WORLD HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?

 **707:** They were bragging that their servers were super tight! Iron tight... That they were number one in the world's ranking. So I took the courage and challenged them!

Despite the severity of the situation, I found that I couldn't stop the laughter that escaped me. This was the kind of joke that I had expected that he would use to deflect the situation and what he didn't know to calm the others. Unfortunately, his theory wasn't correct and the others wouldn't believe that. The others were annoyed with his theory, their emojis signified that clearly. "I shouldn't laugh but that made me a lot less nervous." I whispered underneath my breath.

 **Wisteria:** I would hate to ruin your theory;; That's not exactly the case.

 **707** : Oh so you're not totally cruel-hearted! I'm actually trying to trace the source of the intrusion right now lolol I'm actually, excited!

 **Jaehee Kang** : How can you say excited right now?

 **707** : I will begin the search for its identity. Today's HM~

 **Yoosung** : But first, why don't we just ask he/she who they are?

 **Jumin Han** : Doubt they will be honest with us but it's worth a try.

 **Yoosung:** u won't know until u try. Hey, where are you from, Wisteria?

Another universe... If we wanted to be honest. Ray didn't give me any advice but to keep my lips sealed on what I'm doing... which made sense given who was in charge of this place. She wouldn't want them to know until she wanted them to know. That left me some kind of liberty to what I could and couldn't say. It wasn't as if I could do anything but talk to them for now. Leaning back in my chair, I began to compose another message.

 **Wisteria** : You wouldn't actually believe me if I told, you know? I'm actually here because I was sent here by someone.

 **Yoosung** : Sent?!

 **ZEN** : Who would send you to our chat room?!

 **Jaehee Kang** : Luciel, are you done yet?

 **707:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **ZEN:** hey stop hogging

 **Jumin Han** : Is there something wrong, Luciel?

 **707** : What's wrong with this?

It's not working?

 **Yoosung** : what's wrong?

 **707** : I can't track down the location - AT ALL

If Seven wasn't able to locate me... I could only assume that Ray was hard at work making sure that he couldn't trace the source of my phone. That would pose him to be rather busy keeping up the track of miscommunication, right? It wouldn't bode well if Seven was able to find Mint Eye that easily since I believe it had always been Rika's plan to drag all of the members of the RFA here and get them under her power on her timeline and nobody else's.

I ran a hand through my hair. _So much for a quick rescue._

That tiny bit of hope in my heart that Seven being able to just find me didn't last very long.

I looked back down at the messenger to see another question.

 **Jumin Han** : I'll ask directly. For what purpose did you log onto this messenger?

 **Wisteria** : I was told to hold a party.

They told me that V was the only one in charge of parties and their purpose since he was after all the leader of the RFA. It was a blur that reminded me of their original interrogation of me, in the original timeline... I almost couldn't keep up with all of the responses that came at me. That time Seven knew where I was and he could see my information clear as day on his computers. This was different. He couldn't trace my location and he couldn't find any of my information.

Seven asked for V's opinion on the matter since he was the leader, but the room was quiet had gone silent on V's end. He asked if he should block me, and let that be that.

V was strangely quiet. He didn't give an immediate response. The leader of the RFA was almost an unknown to me as much as Ray was. He was never in a lot of chatroom's as a participant, but he was in this one.

I knew V, sure. I didn't really know him though, I knew that on some level he was aware of Rika and Mint Eye... he knew where this place was, he had been trying to hide it from the others and he even got sh... I stopped the thought before I could finish it. That was a different reality than this, he wasn't dead here like he was in that reality. His friends didn't even really know him entirely.

I guess it was time to name drop their former party coordinator.

 **Wisteria** : I'm only here because someone named Rika sent me here in the first place. Am I going to be blocked or;;;

 **Yoosung:** WHAT?!

 **ZEN** : OMG...

 **707** : Wait, I think there's something wrong with my eyes

 **Yoosung:** Rika? Ur someone Rika sent?

 **Jumin Han:** Astonishing...

 **Yoosung** : She contacted you, Wisteria? When...?

 **V** : ...

 **Jumin Han** : V is here with us. I hope you'd refrain from thoughtlessly mentioning Rika.

 **V** : No, it's okay. I'm okay. Wisteria, I don't know how you know Rika. But she's not with us in this world anymore... in this world... She left our side six months ago.

 **Yoosung** : That might not be true.

Six months? Six months had passed! I stared at my phone. Mystic Messenger took place almost two and half years after Rika's supposed suicide. I was considerably further back from the original story.

 **Jumin Han:** From what intentions do you say that?

 **Yoosung:** That's how I believe it...

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yoosung...

 **V** : Luciel, I have a favor to ask you.

 **707** : Should I cut off this Wisteria's access?

 **Yoosung** : NOOO! WAITT! Don't cut off yet! This person might know something about Rika! Aren't you guys even curious?!

 **ZEN:** I'm curious but more suspicious

 **Jumin Han:** I'm also starting to think this person might be dangerous.

 **Yoosung:** I can't calm down... I didn't even get to see any evidence that she's dead...!

 **Jumin Han:** Try not to distress yourself, you will miss out on something if you act with haste.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I think you're overly calm, Mr. Han.

 **Jumin Han:** There should be at least one person who can critically access the situation. It balances what's happening.

 **ZEN:** This guy's not human;;;

 **Jaehee Kang:** ;;;

 **V:** No. I wasn't going to ask Luciel to deny Wisteria's access. It's actually the opposite.

 **Yoosung:** Opposite?

 **V:** Luciel, I want to make a call to Wisteria. Can you connect me through?

 **707:** Umm... it's not impossible. Really? Should I connect?

 **V:** Yes. There's something I want to ask Wisteria.

 **Wisteria:** You could just ask me here.

 **Yoosung** : Yes! You can just say it here!

 **V:** It's a slightly delicate subject to discuss in the chatroom.

 **Yoosung:** Discuss what? Is it about Rika? Another one of your secrets behind our backs again?

 **ZEN:** Yoosung;; I understand that this is upsetting. But let's first see what happens from here, okay

 **V:** Sorry... it looks like I'm causing disputes.

 **707:** V... I'm gonna put you two through, is that okay?

 **Yoosung:** Can we talk to Wisteria as well?

 **707:** Probably... The fact that this person is here... means we're already connected to him/her. But V's connection is in manual mode. So I have to open that connection to make it alive...

 **Yoosung:** I... I wanna hurry up and talk with Wisteria.

 **707:** V, is it okay to put you through?

 **V:** Yes, it's okay. Put me through.

 **Jumin Han:** V, I believe you would have thoroughly assessed the situation and examined the situation. Hope it's not a hasty decision.

 **V:** I appreciate your concern, Jumin. There is something that I must ask Wisteria, even if there are risks, I need to endure. If, as Wisteria has said, 'Rika' is the one who sent Wisteria to this messenger... **I'd like to think Rika wanted the RFA parties to continue even when she's gone.**

 **ZEN:** If that's what you think, V, I guess it could be.

 **Jaehee Kang:** If this is what Rika really hoped for...

 **Yoosung:**...

 **V:** Wisteria, I'll call you in a bit.

 **Wisteria:** I was only told to open a party, honestly.

 **V:** Yes. I feel that is what Rika wants to happen. That is if Rika really did send you, Wisteria.

 **Jumin Han:** Since you are Rika's fiance, V, and if you feel that way... that could be what Rika wants.

 **V:** If Rika wanted to continue the parties **I want to make that come true.**

 **Jumin Han:** You are the final decision maker, so we should comply

but I'm concerned that Wisteria's identity remains a mystery.

 **Jaehee Kang:** That is true since we do not know anything about Wisteria. So I'm not sure if we can leave Rika's role to Wisteria...

 **Yoosung:** What kind of person do you think Wisteria is?

 **Wisteria:** I'm not a shady person with ulterior motives if that's what you're concerned about. I promise.

 **Yoosung:** Then... are we going to be throwing parties again?

 **V:** Yes. We will. As Wisteria will take Rika's role for us. But since Wisteria's identity has not been identified, we will have to see.

 **Jumin Han:** A temporary hold.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Even so, Wisteria's situation is quite perplexing. Is it okay for a non-member to take Rika's place?

 **V:** That's what I wanted to talk about. I'm thinking of accepting Wisteria as a new member of the RFA, if Wisteria agrees.

 **Jaehee Kang:** It seems a bit abrupt...

 **Jumin Han:** I agree. Accepting a stranger as a new member...?

 **Wisteria:** You make it seem like being a member is a privilege. What's so good about being a member?

 **ZEN:** This one's quite straightforward...

 **707:** If u become a member, guess what!

 **Jumin Han:** You can use the RFA's messenger.

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's not all is it...?

 **Jumin Han:** You can live a contributing life.

 **Yoosung:** Sounds big but not wrong and... Seven won't get rid of u right away

 **V:** It would be best if you cooperate. Since you have come to host parties, Wisteria, our purposes are the same.

 **Jumin Han:** I can't deny the fact that our situations and purposes fall perfectly, so things are quite suspicious.

 **ZEN:** Hey, If you start questioning, there's no end in that;; I mean the situation is all so sudden but...

 **Yoosung:** For now... I agree in holding parties again

 **Jumin Han:** There is no reason to oppose holding parties itself.

 **ZEN:** V has decided, so I'm going to follow that

 **Jaehee Kang:** Of course, reopening the party is welcome, but it would have been better if we know exactly what kind of person Wisteria is.

 **V:** I am fully aware of that. So Luciel, I want you to keep searching about Wisteria.

 **707:** Um... Is it okay, Wisteria? I didn't think he would find anything if he even tried to do it. There was no way I was going to tell him that though.

 **Wisteria:** While I would rather you not, I can see the purpose in that.

 **707:** A background check is compulsory if we want to open the party with your help, Wisteria.

 **ZEN:** Don't collect irrelevant info;;;

 **707:** Yes, sir! V, shall I proceed?

 **V:** Yes. I have a thought, so go on with it.

 **Jumin Han:** V, I expect you will later tell us what your thought is.

 **V:** I'll tell you when I collect my thoughts together.

 **Wisteria:** I do apologize if I've caused you any stress. When will planning for the party need to begin?

 **V:** There's no date yet, so there's no need to rush. I'll send a notice when I have a date fixed.

 **707:** Rationally speaking - There is a simple solution - denying your access. I'm not sure if such risk is necessary... T_T

 **V:** Speaking of which, there something I need to tell you. I'll call you right now.

 **Yoosung:** One of those secret talks again... Wisteria, just so you know in advance, V is full of secrets;;;

 **V:** Yoosung...

 **Yoosung:** It's nothing new.

 **Jumin Han:** Let's all think that he has a good reason.

 **707:** Except for Yoosung.

 **Yoosung:** Well, I do not understand;;;

 **V:** I'll explain everything to you when it's time. I'm sorry. I should get going. Please excuse me first.

 **ZEN:** See ya later V

 **Jaehee Kang:** Take care.

 **V:** Thanks everyone, I'll see you, too, later... Wisteria.

 **Wisteria:** Yes, I'll see you around.

 **V:** Yes. We will.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** Give us a replay la

 **707:** srry

 **Jumin Han:** He left while I was typing,

 **707:** hecalledrightawaylikehesaid

i'mgonnatakethiscall bye

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** I wonder what secret V is up to again.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Do you want to install a wiretap or something?

 **Yoosung:** Yes, if secrets keep building;; Ever since Rika died, it feels like V only talks to Seven.

 **Jumin Han:** It's simple. Luciel is in charge of RFA's confidential information.

 **Yoosung: ...**

 **ZEN:** As the head of this organization, V probably has a lot on his mind... He said he'll explain later. Let's trust him and wait a bit, okay?

 **Yoosung: Exactly when is later?** What I'm angry about is...That it's been like this since Rika passed away.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yoosung calm down.

 **Yoosung:** He's locked himself up in secrets about Rika's death too...!

 **Jaehee Kang:** I'd like to think that was V's best decision, made for our sake.

 **Jumin Han:** So do I. But he wasn't himself today, a bit flustered.

 **ZEN:** V? Flustered? Didn't seem like it;;

 **Jumin Han:** I could see he was baffled today compared to his usual stance.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Is that so? i think you're the one who could tell that, Mr. Han.

 **Jumin Han:** Asking to open up the call function...? That was a shock.

 **ZEN:** Huh.

 **Wisteria:** You and V must be very close.

 **Jumin Han:** Childhood best friends to be exact. V is a trustworthy person. In fact, has V's decision so far threatened our association even once?

 **Yoosung:** Not yet but... The way he closed Rika's death was a bit suspicious...

 **ZEN:** Hey;;

 **Yoosung:** He was strange even during the funeral

 **ZEN:** V would have been the most agonized one;

 **Yoosung;** But I still don't get it...

 **Jaehee Kang:** Umm... Actually, I wanted to say this for some time now... Is it okay to talk about our personal lives when we don't even know what kind of person Wisteria is?

 **ZEN:** I don't think we talked much about ourselves...

 **Jumin Han:** Well, there's nothing bad about being careful, I guess. I will be watching you closely, Wisteria.

 **ZEN:** What are you, a PI now? gawd

 **Jaehee Kang:** In my opinion, our most crucial issue here is whether Wisteria is a threat to the RFA or not

 **ZEN:** A threat? I think that's too much;;

 **Yoosung:** It's someone Rika sent! Rika would never send a threat to us.

 **Jumin Han:** If Wisteria's words are true, that would be so.

 **ZEN:** ;; Suspecting isn't really my thing. I hope we can soon find out that Wisteria is a good person. Then, we can get the parties ready or something.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Luciel is on it. We will soon find out.

 **Jumin Han:** Anyhow, it seems the important issues have been taken care of. I should get going, I need to read a new business proposal plan...

 **Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han, there is something that I need to brief you about that. May I call you now?

 **Jumin Han:** Go ahead.

 **Wisteria:** Goodbye, both of you. Good luck with the rest of your day.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, I guess I'll see you more often.

 **Jumin Han:** Hope all the questions about you are cleared soon, Wisteria. Hopefully in a good way.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I hope so too.

 **Jumin Han:** Well then, I'm off.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I should get going too.

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Only three of us left in a flash. I wonder what kind of person you are, Wisteria.

 **Yoosung:** Yeah, me too.

 **Wisteria:** We'll take our time to get to know each other soon enough, talk and all, and get to know each other through that. I don't think I'm all that bad but I'll leave it up to you to make your own opinions.

 **ZEN:** You're positive lol I luv that kind of attitude

 **Yoosung:** I also have a lot I want to hear from you, Wisteria. Especially about Rika.

 **ZEN:** I want to chat more but I need to get going. Duty calls. Wisteria, I look forward to getting to know you.

 **Yoosung:** Aren't you going to say bye to me too, Zen?

 **Wisteria:** Don't leave the boy hanging lol

 **ZEN:** ANNOYED EMOJI Bye Yoosung. Yeah. See you later.

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Everyone's gone. Wisteria, Umm... Can't you at least tell me what you heard from Rika? Doesn't matter how small it is.

 **Wisteria:** I've already said all I was told. I'm sorry that's so little information.

 **Yoosung:** Then can at least tell me when and how Rika said those words? Did you talk with Rika directly? Did she leave any other words?

 **Wisteria:** One at a time, please.

 **Yoosung:** Oh... sorry.

V told me that she committed suicide... but I couldn't believe that...there was no other evidence other than V's words...then you pop out, and say that Rika sent you... how do you think I'd feel?

 **Wisteria:** It must be very difficult for you. I lost someone like that myself once. I understand where you're coming from.

 **Yoosung:** Thanks for saying that... I really cannot believe that Rika killed herself... I still can't believe it... Oh, I'm sorry My professor just called;; I'm a college student. I forgot that I set an appointment earlier on. I gotta go immediately T-T

 **Wisteria:** Goodness. You should get going.

 **Yoosung:** Oh god;;; why now? I think I have to take this call, seems important. You must talk with me again!

 **Yoosung has the chatroom.**

* * *

I exited the chatroom after Yoosung took his leave to chat with his instructor. That was a lot to take in at once and this was only the beginning of what they were going to do. V said he was going to be calling me, right? That meant that I could really expect to be talking with the RFA. I stared at my phone just waiting for it to go off in my hands.

Eventually, it did just that. V's photo illuminated my screen until I clicked the little green button to answer the message. "Hello? Oh, the phone's working alright. Allow me to formally introduce myself. I am V, the head of the RFA. It's a pleasure to meet you." V's voice came through the other line, he didn't seem bothered, he was calm and clear.

"It's nice to meet you. The pleasure is mine." I said. V was calm and easy-going, I didn't expect to have a heavy barrage of information from him as if Jumin Han were trying to talk with me about information.

He took a breath on the other end of the call. "Oh... thank you. It's great to hear you in person outside the chatroom. I called you because there was something that I wanted to ask you here. I already mentioned this in the chatroom back there but, uh... if it does not offend you, may I ask you something?" He asked.

"Sure."

"Thank you for saying that. Can you tell me what you know about Rika? I believe it will be confusing for the rest of the members... if they hear it."

I hated to lie so I told only told him the bare minimum. "I got an invitation from her."

"Huh... Just an invitation that told you to host parties for the organization?" He inquired.

"Yes, that's it more or less. I apologize that I don't have much other information, V." I said. Did he know already what Rika was doing? Was this too soon before he realized she had started a cult after running away from him? "I'm in the dark on a lot of things as well... I just wanted to do as I was instructed in my invitation."

He was quiet. "Very well, for now. Thank you for answering me." He said with a hum. "Hmm... I think that's enough questions for now... And I believe there are limits to the conversation through the phone."

The acid in the back of my throat was threatening to splash up the more that I spoke up. Lying wasn't my favorite thing. If anyone knew how to circumvent the situation this early - it would have been him but if Ray was monitoring my actions he could hack into the calls. "...You're not suspecting me of something malicious are you, V?"

"No, that's not true. I was surprised that somebody who is a complete stranger to me talked about Rika. That's only why I asked, I'm sorry if I offended you. Since you're here to hold parties, we share a common goal. So I'll help you to the best of my abilities. I'll tell you one by one... how a party is held." V said. "If you need my help or have any questions, please feel free to ask me anytime." He continued. "I hope we can spend a good time. And I hope we can spend a good time with the rest of the RFA members as well."

"Please, leave it to me."Why was he so ready to trust me when I barely gave him an answer that made any sense? Could he be trying to figure out more about Rika's disappearance through me? Is that why he's vetting me now? That was what I always assumed when it came to the apartment.

"I will. I hope you're a good person. Now I must leave... I look forward to your... future performances." The other line went dead.

* * *

When the members of the RFA, Rika's Fundraising Organization, referred to their MC as a princess, I assumed that it was just some cute nickname that they all would give to her. She would be the princess to any of their stories as she saved them; She was less of a fairytale princess and more of a knight in my opinion if you wanted to think that she was saving the day each and every timeline. She was put to a higher status as we, the player, were usually lonely people who were seeking affection through a digital world as we couldn't have them in our reality.

You could feel important to somebody.

That was an aspect that I liked.

However, it appeared as though Ray took the princess matter far beyond what I had thought. This room was decorated as if royalty were within it. The frills, the antiques, the flowers, it all reminded me a lot of storybook illustrations that I had been working on back home. It was busy by all means, the idea that Ray had put all of this together for my sake was a little... _much._ I was used to these kinds of sceneries. This was the kind of room that I would want to paint for my own collection and it was down to a tee the kind of thing that I liked.

Ray was an enigma.

Even if all I knew so far was that he definitely had a princess complex for MC like Unknown. I barely interacted with Unknown during my time playing the game, I only aimed for good ends when I played Otome and that left me with slim and far between interactions and they weren't usually... When he was right of mind. His face seemed genuine. I couldn't find any wrong in his eyes; The way he looked at me when I spoke didn't trigger any screeching alarm bells like it should have when I saw Unknown.

"Ray seems nice but," In the back of my head, I knew better than to trust someone just for the kindness. The last time that I found myself listening to someone that seemed nice I wound up getting hurt beyond recognition. I knew this game wasn't a game. _Could this be before his mind was almost lost to the elixir Rika forced on him?_ Even if he was only feeding me half-lies, I needed some more time to understand this situation and what was happening around me.

"No."

I was no better right now the way I was speaking with the members of the RFA, giving half-truths with my answers. I couldn't just blurt out the truth so blindly. Turning my eyes back down to my phone in my hand I noticed some of the members sent me text messages through the app while I was chatting with V on the phone. They were mere introductory words, them giving me their trust or hope that they could get to know more about me.

The text that stood out was one from Ray himself.

20XX-XX-XX Monday

 **Ray:** I'm guessing your chat with the AIs just ended.

You can keep talking with them like you did just now, okay?

 **Wisteria:** I didn't expect a text from you so soon. I will don't worry.

 **Ray:** I'm here as long as you're here, Lila. ^^

As long as you don't leave me.

 _Are you just lonely?_

Reading his message a few times over, I swiped the app to a close. My mind needed a break to just... not deal with everything that just happened. Rising from my seat I headed over to the window to see if I could piece together my location. This was very rural by all means, and it reminded me of the area that I grew up in... in that it seemed remote and away from bustling cities and any people. there were trees everywhere and the slope beneath me signified we were pretty high up on a hill. Had it been different circumstances I might have liked the view.

"That doesn't tell me anything." I lamented underneath my breath. Once more, I came to the conclusion there was no way out of Mint Eye for the time being. There was still one place I hadn't yet seen on my own.

I headed to the door of my room and peered out of it.

My head turned left and then turned right; It would be easy to get lost in this place, I knew, the walls were bare but posh. It seemed like one of those large hotels that had the same design on every floor. You couldn't dispute the looks and would only know where you were if a sign told you, or if you could gauge how high you were from a window. _Rika spared no expense, that's for sure._ I thought. Before I knew it I was out in the hall unsure of my next move, I was pacing back and forth, that was a habit of my anxiety when I had a hard time grounding myself back to Earth.

My phone went off in my pocket. I picked it up without looking at the ID.

"Hello, Lila."

I stood still. "Oh, it's you, Ray."

"I noticed you left your room a while ago, you weren't planning on exploring on your own, were you?" He asked.

"You... You were watching me?" I looked around for would be locations for cameras but came up short. There were clearly cameras in this building but they were hidden out of my view. Another layer of defense that I hadn't initially considered. Ray could see me. This was like when the MC was in the apartment and Seven could see her in the hallway from his house.

"There are cameras throughout our headquarters for security reasons, I hope you don't mind that I checked up on you," Ray admitted. "You were pacing back and forth for a while so I thought I needed to check on you. Everything's alright with the game right?"

"Oh... Yes, actually, that's going fine." I told him. He could see my chat logs - I'm sure he knew how it went down to the letters that I used. They at least existed somewhere in the world and were breathing. Their lives were intertwined with Rika. I wasn't okay but I pushed through the sinking feeling in my stomach. "They're peculiar characters... to say the least. I wasn't expecting them to be so... lively."

"Do you like anyone in particular so far?" He asked.

I paused.

I didn't lean one way or the other with anyone in the RFA personally - I liked everyone. Though, showing favoritism might not be exactly a good idea knowing that he held ill feelings to most of the members. "I guess it's too soon to say," I told him instead. On the other line, I could hear the clatter of fingers touching a keyboard. Ah, so that's where he is. There was a computer room somewhere in this building and that's where he had to be located most of the time. "It's only been a little while since I started playing."

"Ah. Good point."

"And I was just a little curious about this place," I said. My eyes focused on the little shine of a lens in the top left corner of the hallway. Bingo. One camera down in my mind. "I didn't intend on straying far from my room, actually, I just wanted some fresh air for a moment, I was just about to head back in - sometimes when I'm alone I get a little stir-crazy."

He seemed pleased with this answer. "Oh, alright. I'll be dropping by sometime later so you won't feel too lonely down there for long. I just have a bit of work that I need to complete before then."

"Don't let me keep you," I said. How long did he work? I couldn't imagine what Rika had gotten him to do in his time here - If he had time to keep Seven at bay and talking to me than my little excursion had to be cut short from this point - but I would try again to learn more about this place. "I would hate to interrupt your work."

"I'm actually good at completing a number of tasks at the same time, but I appreciate that you care about me like that, I was starting to feel a bit tired but I feel motivated once again."

I wasn't sure why, but I smiled. "I guess I'll see you soon."

* * *

When I returned to my room, I spent a significant amount of time on my phone trying to explore the extent of this universe. Nothing was named the same as it was in our world, Google wasn't google here. That was my first roadblock, but once I figured all of that out I checked out what I could on everyone. There wasn't much difference in events or history. I could still locate no trace of things that I wanted to know. Nothing that could explain my situation. When I gave up my search on the internet... I found myself looking through this room.

There was no sign of any camera in the bedroom which relieved me and that included the adjacent bathroom. Nothing out of the ordinary was in the room. Everything had a place and stuck to it. There was nothing that could prove to be useful just yet. The dresser and its drawers had a few outfits within it, but I had not yet even considered touching those. I would eventually as the feeling of being contained here grew. That was when I began to search through my own bag. There wasn't much in it. The only thing that I had with me was what I had when I left my apartment. That meant I only had my spare phone charger, some lipsticks, my wallet, my small art box and my sketchbook.

My fingers rested against the sketchbook.

If I was going to be here than I was going to use my time wisely. I could channel my energy into something creative and calm my unsettled nerves before I sank into any warm water.

A few hours had passed before I decided to return to the RFA chatroom, and when I did... It appeared that Yoosung was the only one online. That would be a minefield, I knew, trying to talk with him and watch my words when it came to his cousin. He was grieving her, as far as he knew, and that pain was strong. I could understand what he was going through, but sometimes I disagreed with the way he handled himself.

People dealt with grief in different ways, however.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Huuh? Wisteria! I was hoping that I could talk to you, and you're here! This must be my lucky day!

 **Wisteria:** It was Yoosung, right? It's nice to meet you, you know, without the chaos.

 **Yoosung:** Yep, that's me! I'm thrilled I can talk to you right away! ^^ I have tons of things I wanna know I'm not sure if it's okay to ask you since it's kind of late now... Umm... Did you by any chance talk to V already?

 **Wisteria:** I have.

 **Yoosung:** You did? Can you tell me what you talked about?

 **Wisteria:** You know we talked about this and that, that or this, something suspiciously fishy and about the weather lately. The usual things that people talk about!

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI **NO WAY!** SOMETHING FISHY?! What is it?

 **Wisteria:** Hm. You know what, I heard your omelets suck!

 **Yoosung:** Not fair! He told me he liked it in the past... Anyways why would you talk about that in a dire situation like this? Wait! Are you - making fun of me right now? You're not, are you? Don't tease me. We just met! T-T

 **Wisteria:** Sorry Yoosung. I say with the utmost certainty that nothing fishy went on, me and V just talked about the situation and cleared up a few things. I thought a joke would help you lighten up. You seem tense.

 **Yoosung:** Oh... Umm... Thanks. The rest of the guys and Jaehee might be wary of you... but not me! I don't think we should be wary of you!

 **Wisteria:** I appreciate that. I really want to be friends with all of you. :D

 **Yoosung:** I hope we can too! Actually... What I wanted to say was... I might be mistaken but perhaps Rika could be trying to send the RFA something... to deliver something, that is. Um... Wisteria? Didn't Rika ask you to tell us something more? How did it feel when you met her?

 **Wisteria:** I haven't met her in person - just through my invitation.

 **Yoosung:** Oh... Honestly, it still bothers me. What V said about her last, I mean. There's so much that bothers me to just buy what he said. Do you honestly know nothing about her past? I'm literally dying to know.

 **Wisteria:** I'm afraid I can't. I didn't see what it was like personally, or through her. I'm sorry I don't have more.

 **Yoosung:** You're right... The only witness we had back then was V... I thought what if I thought that you could be an unknown witness... It was fool's hope. Haaa... V couldn't give us enough proof that she committed suicide. He said that she committed suicide - but we couldn't even find her body. It's basically no different from disappearance.

 **Yoosung:** It's been six months since her death was announced... But we have nothing new on her death. I need solid evidence. I would admit it if there is solid evidence.

 **Wisteria:** You must be feeling very frustrated right now, Yoosung. I'm not sure evidence would make you feel any better about it but just trust me when it comes to that. Sometimes the unknown is better.

 **Yoosung:** I am frustrated... No one ever really understood how I feel... but you do. Thank you.

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** It's Zen!

 **ZEN:** Oh, Wisteria! Still awake at this hour?!

 **Yoosung:** Aren't you going to say hi to me?

 **ZEN:** I see you every day. Why should I? lol Anyways welcome to the RFA Wisteria. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Nice to meet you as well, Zen, thank you.

 **ZEN:** hehe same here. You don't look like a bad person. You are very courteous. Though this might be a presumption rushed hehe

 **Yoosung:** HAPPY EMOJI

 **ZEN:** I hope we get to know each other some more. New members are always more than welcome lmao Jumin will practically try to bury you with suspicions but I won't lol You know Zen of the RFA - man's got the best looks - best loyalty - the last real man in the world.

 **Yoosung:** Wisteria - if Zen is getting to you. You can just go to bed lolololol and chat again with me in the morning. HAPPY EMOJI

 **ZEN:** how dare you try to monopolize our new face

 **Yoosung:** lol what do you mean monopolize? Zen - trying to own a person is an ancient ideology

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI Ancient ideology? Why do you suddenly sound difficult? ;;;

 **Yoosung:** I saw that term yesterday while I was on the internet looking for sources for my assignment lol

 **ZEN:** So it didn't come from you

 **Yoosung:** of course it didn't

Any interaction between Yoosung and Zen always got me to laugh.

They were friends but it was so strange in the way that they always got to each other. It was just like they were brothers. That was how their relationship felt. Zen was always scolding him and teasing him a healthy way, unlike the way that Seven did to were back and forth for a few more minutes until the conversation suddenly turned to Rika and V's relationship, and about the two of them. Yoosung was throwing out his own theories and Zen disputed whatever he went about saying.

 **Yoosung:** You know that V keeps hiding things from us... You know what I mean, don't you? You know... Everyone would feel that there's something he's not honest with.

 **ZEN:** Hm... But I'm not going to suspect him. He just lost someone he loved...

 **Yoosung:**...

 **Wisteria:** You should trust him in some regard Yoosung. He's just trying to keep you from being hurt.

 **Yoosung:** From hiding the truth from me?! He should show us something that we can actually count on! He's just too fishy! You're too nice, Zen. No matter how many times I think about it. There's something fishy about V.

 **ZEN:** OMG - I bet you'll be embarrassed to death when later it's all revealed to be a misunderstanding. and when that happens, You'd better buy us some drinks.

 **Yoosung:** Our newcomer might be holding the key to the secret.

 **ZEN:** Key to the secret... What is this, some kind of esc room or something?

 **Yoosung:** Someone that Rika sent... is none other then Wisteria! I got a bunch of things to ask!

 **Wisteria:** That would be five million won per answer at this rate, Yoosung - Gotta make bank somehow.

 **ZEN:** LMAOO

 **Yoosung:** What...? Can't you tell me for free? T-T If not can I just use a monthly payment plan? CRYING EMOJI

 **ZEN:** Hey... ANNOYED EMOJI It's barely been a day since we met Wisteria through the messenger. I know how impatient you are but slow down, please You know what I mean, don't you?

 **Yoosung:** Yes... I'll try. MOPING EMOJI I just wanted to know what brought such a dreadful weight on her.

 **Wisteria:** When people are depressed, they are usually the kinds of people that you least expect to be depressed. I can't tell you why she did what she did, Yoosung. But I doubt it would be something that you would be able to easily guess - sometimes people just don't tell anyone they're sufffering.

 **Yoosung:** You sound like you know firsthand Wisteria. I see.

 **ZEN:** Yes... if she didn't even tell us perhaps it's because we don't want to know about it.

 **Yoosung:** Maybe... But I want to know! I must! Even if I regret it, I want to know. I wanna know why she tried to take it all by herself... Why she didn't ask me or others for help... That's what I wanna know. You have no idea how frustrated I am! I think I'll feel better only after I find everything out.

 **ZEN:** I know how upset you are. You were so close to her... and her death was a shock to everyone

 **Yoosung:**...

 **Wisteria:** I know you're upset, but you should calm down and collect yourself.

 **Yoosung:** Should I...?

 **ZEN:** You should. I would have told you that if Wisteria didn't. Yoosung

 **Yoosung: ?**

 **ZEN:** Touch your forehead right now.

 **Yoosung:** What's the deal so sudden?

 **ZEN:** Hot, isn't it?

 **Yoosung:** Uh... Um... A little. CONFUSED EMOJI

 **ZEN:** I think it's time for you to cool down.

 **Yoosung:** Cool down? My head?

 **ZEN:** Yes. So you can think cool-headed I think your head is overheated. Wisteria, you agree, don't you?

 **Wisteria:** From a logical standpoint, I would have to say that isn't convincing. Though, my heart is telling me that you should try Yoosung. You should try to cool off, okay?

After reasoning with Yoosung for a few minutes, he finally conceded and went to cool off some stem. He was getting a bit... off with himself. Yoosung just needed to sleep that off - He wasn't ready to deal with the information that V may or may not have had about Rika. There was a lot that had gone wrong with her. That left me alone in the chatroom with Zen.

 **ZEN:** Um... Wisteria, Yoosung isn't very fond of V... but in my pov, they're both good people. So I hope you can take good care of the RFA

 **Wisteria:** Zen, it's late, you should really hurry to bed too. Your skin will suffer if you don't.

 **ZEN: Oh my!** Good point! That was sharp, Wisteria. I'll go to bed now. Have a sweet dream... Wisteria. I'll talk to you again in the morning. WINK EMOJI

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

Those two left me feeling a little better off then I had before. I set my phone down on the bed beside me. My eyes lifted towards the ceiling. It posh white... a lot brighter then eggshell. I wasn't familiar with this view above my head. My ceiling had glow-in-the-dark stickers of different varieties like stars and flowers or little animals. This would be my view for now and I didn't think I would be getting much sleep this night.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Wow. I forgot how long that first chatroom can be! I don't intend on typing out every single chat, only those that I feel are important. Thanks for the reviews/favorites/follows so quickly! I didn't expect to see anybody commenting so soon. I'm a bit astonished it's coming from people whose stories that I've read and enjoyed lolololol


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/24/2018.**

* * *

THREE

"Trust is What?"

* * *

That morning someone had dropped off breakfast for me and I stared at it with trepidation.

 _What am I thinking so hard about? It's not like the poisoned the word with the elixir or anything. No, maybe they're saving that for after I prove myself. Am I just making excuses to not eat again? C'mon, Lila, we've been working through this problem all you need to do is take it one bite at a time. I promised no purging any more months ago and you have to keep this up. You don't want to relapse in a place like this._ In the end, the fact that I hadn't eaten since yesterday evening won out and I ended up eating up everything that been brought to me. I sort of felt guilty about it but I did my best to shrug it off. Logging in the chatroom was my best bet to getting my mind back on track to somewhere healthier.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** Good morning! You got to chat with all the RFA members yesterday. I think you now have a rough sense of what kind of people they are and what they talk about... What do you think about them? Aren't they all so nice...? And aren't they all so stupidly naive?

 **Wisteria:** What...? That sounds strange coming from you.

 **V:** Did I just use a term that can cause a misunderstanding? But that was no lie. They are stupid. I know them better than anyone else, trust me. WINK EMOJI Mind if I give you a word of advice for you? Don't trust us too much. HAPPY EMOJI

 **V:** Trust isn't always a good thing. Often you'll find blindness in a guise of trust. Just look at this. Whether I blind them, or whether I shut their mouths, everything is settled with a single effect called friendship. Oh the RFA! Are there any other friends handier then them? They mean so much to me... They're such useful friends to me.

 **V:** Including you...

That didn't sound like V.

Could it be...?

 **Wisteria:** That's you, Ray, isn't it?

 **V:**...

 **V** : ...

 **Ray:**...Tada! Ahaha... Surprised?

 **Wisteria:** I had a suspicion, but you almost had me going there for a moment

 **Ray:** I see. My acting mustn't have been great. But figures. You can hardly find any similarity between that hypocrite and me. It was kind of hard trying to act nice. Oh, I am nice. I am. I'm saying that it was hard to act like a bad person acting badly. You do seem to possess sharp eyes. That's nice judgment you have there. ^^ But I'm actually a bit happy you recognized me. It means that you felt me during that conversation, you know...? HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** I wanted to show you, Lila, that I can even do this. Of course, I'm not gonna but in while you're talking with the AIs. So no worries. Anyways, good morning! Did you sleep well last night?

He called V a hypocrite. What had gone wrong? There was honestly so much that I didn't know about how Saeran was taken away from his mother. I knew V and Rika promised to take care of him... Rika had somehow taken him away and things went wrong. V's involvement was something I didn't know anything about. V didn't seem like he would hurt Saeran intentionally. Ray must have, no, Rika must have drilled him differently... I shook the thought my mind.

It would take hours and I wouldn't get anywhere sitting there speculating theories.

 **Wisteria:** I actually deal with insomnia so it's hard for me to sleep throughout the night. I did rest last night, however. Did you get any sleep?

 **Ray:** I didn't sleep well last night, actually. I was worried whether you'd be enjoying my game. But I'm glad you rested. Was your room to your liking? I was worried you might feel trapped in there.

 **Wisteria** : It's nice... It reminds me of something that I've drawn before actually, I'm used to drawing scenery from fairy tales and I'm suddenly so struck with inspiration haha. Thanks for the inspiration.

 **Ray: Oh!** I'm so happy that you like it so much! You're very welcome. You must be a very dedicated artist to appreciate those sort of things like you do.

 **Wisteria:** I will have to show you what I come up with one of these days when you're free.

 **Ray:** I would be honored. Anyway, how are things feeling with the AIs?

 **Wisteria:** Your AIs... they feel very real.

 **Ray:** It's an honor that you think they're real! HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** But no matter how well-made they are, they are no match for real people. I'm sure you already know that even though you're having fun with those AIs, you belong in this world where I am. You're not at the world beyond the phone screen. You're in the same world as I am. Don't forget that... Lila, you have no idea what I've gone through for this moment... Not that you have to know that!

 **Ray:** I just want you to enjoy the stage I poured my soul into.

I stared at my screen. His hatred for the RFA, however, was a topic that wasn't one to tread without care. Instead of directing a comment towards that, I shifted the tone to something else. I could work on those things later when I knew how to tread the line better. How not to trigger something that would hurt him.

 **Wisteria:** That's very kind of you to think of my well being. I think at your core you're very warm-hearted.

 **Ray:** Really? ...Nobody ever told me that. My guardians used to scold me a lot... when I was young. I cried every day, and scolding was a routine. Everyone would condemn and blame me.

 **Ray:** Thank you for saying that. I want to be a warm-hearted man to you... always. I wish I could do that forever.

 **Ray: Oh.** **Oh no...** I wanted to talk to you some more but I have tons of work to do. There's this person I'm preparing a surprise for.

 **Wisteria:** May I ask who would that be?

 **Ray:** Hm... Who?

 **Ray:** A man who needs a bit of shocker, should I say? There's this guy who needs a bit of a scare. No, actually it may look like a scare, but perhaps it's really close to diversion... Anyways, I can't tell you who it is. But there is this guy who needs that. I can't this anymore, I miss you even more now that I'm chatting with you. Above all, I hope you enjoyed your breakfast.

 **Ray:** I worked hard on that. I must be leaving, excuse me.

 **Wisteria:** Oh, goodbye.

 **Ray has left the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has left the chatroom.**

* * *

A few hours had passed before I knew it; I had chatted with the members off and on about various topics, and even got a phone call from just about everyone one by one as the day progressed. At first, I was sure I came off as awkward or too polite. I wasn't sure how else to talk to people that I wasn't used to knowing were... actual people.

Zen and Yoosung were easy to chat with, the moment they heard my voice the both of them seemed to relax and reaffirmed that they didn't think they needed to mistrust. Zen decided he liked me off the bat and turned into a chat about his looks and attractive he was. I didn't mind chatting with him with that or this, he was genuinely frank in a good way. Yoosung hadn't meant to call me when he did, he had been in the middle of making tea to calm himself down, the last day or so had really done a damper on his mental state, but we talked it through and he came down.

Jaehee and Jumin were harder to some degree as their mistrust in me were still high, but I did my best to quell their concerns. Jaehee was business-like and came to me directly to the point with her concerns. Which, I could understand where she was coming from. Her concern was more of Zen, and that I not post anything about him, like his photos or such. I wanted him to do well as she did, so I think my promising not to do that really eased some of her worries. After all, it was always good to appease Jaehee with her interests in plays, theater, and Zen. Jumin was similar in that regard. He wanted to keep the call simple, precise without any avoidance of the topic at hand. He kept it short, only asking me a question or two about things to gauge how trustworthy I was. I did my best to be curt and direct.

If that worked out with all of them, I had yet to know. I wanted them to trust me. I wanted them to like me. These were people that I had come to know after the last few months through my phone and they were at my fingertips now. I hadn't had friends that I could talk to like this in a long time - and it filled me with a good feeling.

Though the phone call that I had yet to receive was one I wasn't sure that I could handle. It was hard enough to know what to say with V when I talked to him, it was beyond difficult to talk with Seven and not lapse into some joke fest... Somehow, he could almost always get me roped into playing along with him. He coped with his issues by playing around and acting like a fool; I coped with mine by acting like I was alright and focusing my compassion on others problems. The difference was Seven didn't really talk about his problems.

If somebody was worried about me and I knew I wasn't handling myself well on my own, I would let people know some of my struggles, never the whole picture, but some of it. There was a way to handle the issues- just not all at once when it may be overwhelming. Speak of the devil, my phone had begun to ring in my hands with his name on it.

His voice came through the phone. "Oh, you answered right away. Since we got to talk like this, I'll officially introduce myself. My name is 707. This world's last hacker with a conscience! Hacker King 707!"

Crossing my leg over the other, I leaned forward into the palm of my hand to rest it. "Is that so? What a prestigious title! Did you claim through a tumultuous online war with other hackers to gain your throne, or did you just bestow it upon yourself?"

Seven laughed at my words. That sound was relieving to me to hear. "Oh? Do you want to know? I might have to leave it up to your imagination if those are the things that you think. I am, after all, great enough to win a war with others. Anyway, Miss Mysterious! I want to know about your psychological state. So I have a very special psychological test to ask you. How about it?"

"Sure, why not, I'm not doing anything else right now." I murmured.

"Is that so? Oh, just hear me out and imagine. One day! Out of the blue! A person comes to you. That person asks you to test the newly released ice cream. Here's the question: What did that person look like?" He proposed an idea. I could only imagine his arms shooting out as he talked and enunciated his words with glee.

"If it were me, I wouldn't have paid much attention to what he could look like, hm, maybe he could have been good-looking... or maybe a woman? It wouldn't hit me at first. When people mention food I tend to get sidetracked and lose focus on everything." I said. It was the truth.

"Ah... I wanted a more detailed description... So you're saying it's a likely a guy though... got it! Anyway, I'll tell you the result of the test! Drum roll! You're hungry right now. Am I right?" Seven said with a matter of fact voice that contrasted with the tone that he had held previously. I held my hand to my lips to stifle the laugh. "Haha. You'd be mistaken, _mostly_ , I just finished breakfast."

"Ah, but you were hungry! You can't hide that! So don't try to hide anything from me... it's no use. Anyway, that's the end of the test. It's a shame that I couldn't get the answer I was hoping for but... there's nothing I can do about that." His tone defeated.

"What did you think you were going to hear?" I inquired.

"Oh- it's nothing! Anyway, it was fun thanks to you. My mission is up here. I must get back to work. It was fun talking to you." Seven said.

"...So soon?"

"We can talk again later! See ya!"

The call ended.

This whole day it had been easy to slip into just chatting with the RFA, that was only sense of normalcy that I could control... Well, kind of. It was one thing that I could talk to them, it was another that I had the ability to say whatever I wanted without the game limiting me. On the one hand, that was liberating. On the other hand, it was terrifying. I set my phone down for a moment.

The screen had lit up with my most recent quest. On my phone was the latest inquiry search that I had attempted. I had no way of knowing that Ray would check what I was doing outside of the RFA app, I couldn't risk searching for the members of the group and get away with it. I knew enough about them that I wouldn't have to worry about anything related to them just yet. I could find anything I needed to know about other things though, after trial and error, our worlds weren't all different from each other, names and things may have had other terms, but other than that we had the same reality. It was like reading the word wrong at first sight, however, for me.

Noogle... Not Google, so on and so forth.

The one thing that I had yet to research was, well, myself.

Instead of directly searching for myself on the internet, I decided that I would look for my older sister first. It wouldn't be like it wasn't worth a shot at guessing. I held my breath and waited for the results to return: ZERO RESULTS FOUND. My heart sank. That was what I didn't want to happen. My fingers were moving before I could even think. My search for anyone that I knew- any name and person that I could think of that would ground it back to my universe.

ZERO RESULTS FOUND.

 _ZERO RESULTS FOUND._

 _ZERO RESULTS FOUND._

 **ZERO RESULTS FOUND** **.**

I hesitated to look for myself - I would put off that search just... a little longer.

* * *

 **Ray has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray:** The administrator is here - ^^

 **Wisteria:** Oh, good afternoon Ray. Are you running a maintenance check?

 **Ray:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Ray:** Huh? Oh, no no. I usually run the maintenance when you're not playing. I shouldn't interrupt your gameplay, you know? HAPPY EMOJI Do you enjoy your chats with the AIs I built? Did you... enjoy your lunch? I wanna know what you're doing right now... I wanna pay you a visit but I couldn't... I've been stuck in the development room all this time...

 **Wisteria:** You've had lunch though, right?

 **Ray:** Huh? Umm... I... Not yet. I was too busy. No one has ever asked me if I had lunch. I feel... Happy.

 **Wisteria:** If it's any incentive, I won't eat unless you have. It's not healthy to skip meals! It can develop bad habits that can ruin your health. I don't want you to be skin and bones like me!

 **Ray:** No, don't do that for me. I don't deserve that. I'll eat. I promise... but you're more precious to me then I am. To be honest, I'm working on things other than the app development in this building. I'm doing this and that - a lot of things. So I'm always very busy. I want to take greater care of you, but I can't. Sorry about that.

 **Wisteria:** It's fun playing your game in the meantime if that's any consolation.

 **Ray:** Wow, you like it? Thank God. But... I'm actually a bit jealous... I kept thinking of you while I was working... but your mind was occupied by that game?

 **Ray:** That feels a bit... am I not attractive enough...? No. I shouldn't do this, should I? Oh right.

 **Ray:** Don't you feel bored inside your room all day? I know you have been throughout the floor but you haven't been outside yet, have you? There's a beautiful garden out there... I took this picture a few days before you came. I wish we could take a walk in there one day... That's right. Why not have a tea time with just the two of us? Have ice cream when it's hot and a have cup of tea when it's cold.

My eyes were drawn back to my phone. My pencil fell from my fingers and hit the bed with a soft thud. My sketch lay abandoned in my lap as I held my phone in both hands. He had sent a photograph of himself across the app. He was standing outside among a very lush patchwork of flowers by himself, the vibrant colors were a stark contrast against his pale skin hidden underneath his outfit. What stood out to me were the rings underneath his eyes that held prominent purple hue, as if he hadn't gotten a good night's rest in a long time.

"Goodness," I murmured. "I didn't notice when we met in person but he looks so... exhausted."

 **Wisteria:** It would be nice to go outside for a little while. It's so beautiful around here, it makes me feel inspired.

 **Ray:** Yeah, I'll prepare your favorite snack. I hope we get to find some time to spend an afternoon together. I want to tell you what's my favorite ice cream flavor, though that might not be necessary info for you. And if it's okay with you, I wanna know what your favorite flavor... Lila, Thanks for staying here for me today as well!

 **Ray:** I hope you won't leave... until the parties are held. I want to make a lot of memories here with you. Oh. I didn't interrupt you from talking with the AIs, did I? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Actually, you didn't interrupt me. I haven't been talking to them for the last little while. I got sidetracked in my sketchbook, I'm afraid. It was nice to hear from you again, though.

 **Ray:** Really? You mean it? I'm actually scared... What if I lose you to the AIs?

 **Wisteria:** They aren't real people, Ray - So why would you worry so much?

 **Ray:** Oh, it does sound silly doesn't it? The game and the AIs are important to me... But to me, our relationship is just as important. And... whether you're happy is important. You're my precious tester. One who believed in me. Only a few people ever believed in me... in this world. But no one ever trusted all my words wholeheartedly. You know, I want to know what you talk about with those AIs. So I keep finding myself surfing through the logs. Are they keeping you entertained?

 **Ray:** I hope you don't get bored with this game! They have small bugs. I'm worried they might make you bored... or hurt you... I'm afraid you might lose interest in this game and leave... I don't want that to happen.

 **Wisteria:** I'm not bored. It's actually rather stimulating for my mind - I'm not unhappy. Don't worry so hard about everything. You need to get some rest soon, okay?

 **Ray:** HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** I'm so happy! Actually, the happiest time of day is when I talk to you. I like seeing you in the messenger, but I like seeing you in person even more. Yes, that's right. That redhead AI started bombarding you with a bunch of whatever-that-means, didn't he? Saying God or whatever... That's actually a bug... V also lies a lot because of a bug... Others have small bugs as well **but those two are the worst.** They keep talking rubbish because of their bugs...

 **Wisteria:** They sounded like they really convinced to me, Ray. I mean, even if they are AI, you sound really angry at them.

 **Ray:** But that's what rubbish is. It sounds convincing on the surface, but in reality, it doesn't make any sense. That goes for what the rest of the AIs say. So need to pay attention to what they say. Don't listen to them, even if they tell you that they're right or that they want you to trust them. Their world isn't real anyway - so you shouldn't worry so hard about their feelings.

 **Ray:** You can make anything in a virtual world. A genius hacker, a CEO-in-line... And I'm also the one who creates those AIs. I can make a person rich or poor with just one single word. You know that... I'm much greater than that redhead, right?

 **Wisteria:** Well, you shouldn't compare yourself to a character, Ray - you know? Your worth shouldn't be defined by being better than someone that isn't real. After all, since they aren't real they can't be better or worse than you.

 **Wisteria:** Don't think too hard about that, okay? I'll still think you're great.

 **Wisteria** : I think you're a good person, Ray.

Ray seemed like nobody had ever given him the attention that he rightfully deserved as a human being. He was starved for affection and only seemed to be seeking validation from people. He wasn't getting it from Rika, not the way that he should have. I had never seen someone so... hungry for someone to like them. So desperate to keep themselves liked.

It reminded me of someone I once knew from a time when the world was different than the way it was today and that person had once been me. I couldn't bring myself to not praise his efforts, I couldn't stop myself from pushing my words out to keep them close as long as possible. I knew how that felt. I knew what it was like to be left floundering for somebody who wasn't interested anymore. He was crying out for someone - How far he was gone down the line underneath Rika's control, I wasn't sure.

I knew what he needed was a gentle reminder - something to untangle his thoughts.

 **Ray: Oh.**

 **Ray:** You think that well of me? That's right, I'm much more amazing than him because I am real - he's just fake. I need to acknowledge that. Once you discover their secrets, your emptiness will be gone. So will mine... Oh. I gotta go now. I have an important meeting with a guest.

 **Wisteria:** Oh? Your boss, maybe?

 **Ray:** I'm not supposed to give this person's info. Sorry, I can't tell you... but one day You'll get to meet my guest too. I'll miss you as I'm saying goodbye... I gotta finish this task first. I'll call you again as soon as I'm done.

 **Wisteria:** Good luck with the rest of your work!

 **Ray:** HAPPY EMOJI Yeah, good luck on your test too! I hope you'll enjoy the next chapter as well... Have a wonderful day! Goodbye!

 **Ray has left the chatroom.**

* * *

Later in the afternoon, I entered the chatroom at the same time as Seven.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **707 has entered the chatroom.**

 **707:** Hell-o world! Hell-o RFA! Hell-o Wisteria!

 **Wisteria:** Hey Seven

 **707:** Hi! SHOCKED EMOJI Jumin, how dare u take the first place in guest recommendation! You're not gonna get away with it! Here comes the GOD7! I summon the predator of vampires- a werewolf! At least that's what I tried but my invitation failed. MOPING EMOJI So I'm gonna recommend a much more powerful person... no, creation more powerful than vampires!

Huh. He couldn't be all that upset that Jumin referred a guest to me earlier in the day - I was still holding off on making a response too, I wasn't sure that I knew the right thing to say without double checking my research. It was clearly somebody who thought he was a vampire or something, I wasn't going to judge or anything. Seven had made me talk to a literal cat during his route.

 **Wisteria:** That's unfortunate, it would be nice to run into the supernatural, you know

 **707:** too bad T-T I couldn't contact one since it's not a full moon. They usually stay wolves unless it's full moon

 **Wisteria:** That should be the other way around, Seven ;;; otherwise, it would be a wereman

 **707:** lololololol

 **707:** That doesn't sound as cool as a werewolf! This one is usually a wolf, turns into a man on the full moon! So that's why this one is so rare lol so... That's why I wanted to invite one! Anyways, it's a creation of misfortune that's orbiting in the middle of an uneasy freeze that it might leave us for good. [[[I LOVE YOU SOLAR SYSTEM]]] [[[I'M A SWEET INNOCENT SUPERIOR PLANET]]

 **707;** This creation that has sent a desperate call to please let it stay in our solar system would be **P - L - U** **T - O.** **PLUTO!** **!** It sent a signal to me that it desperately wants to attend an Earth party. Beep! Beep!

 **Wisteria:** I'll invite it!

 **707:** The Pluto's sign must have reached you well I'll chat about space with Pluto! LOVE EMOJI

 **707:** Oh btw, We're not having an end of the world if it crashes into the world party, are we? Gotta ask it to please control its orbit rate: To slow it down to the scale of a planet visit instead of a planet crash! Umm... though I just through my recommendation in their cuz I was in a hurry... Surprisingly, we're really having parties... Ummm... What do you think, Wisteria?

 **Wisteria:** Is there somebody about it that's bothering you, Seven?

 **707:** Yep... Actually, I'm not sure entirely if this is okay... Just a little bit... I have this teeny tiny concern... nope nope nope nope nope. V mad his choice, so as his hacking slave, I will silently obey. M-A-N This is frustrating! I wanna tell somebody! I wanna unleash it!

 **Wisteria:** Hm. It's too bad you can't go to the Space Station. Noise doesn't travel in space the way it does on Earth, that way you could say your secrets without anybody being the wiser.

 **707: !** **!** This looks like the time for...! Help me, an almighty secret store box somewhere in the galaxy!

He sent an image of the sky. It was quite striking with the all the colors up there. I hadn't seen something that looked that intriguing before: Could this be one of V's? I wondered. He was a photographer, after all, we never really got to see much of his photos in the regular routes. It wouldn't be terrible to trade artistic opinions with him if I got the chance.

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** Oh...

 **707:** Ohhh V!

 **Wisteria:** That wouldn't happen to be one your photos would it, V?

 **V:** I took it for him.

 **707:** Yep, I was totally thrilled when he gave it to me!

 **V:** You were really fond of it when you saw it.

 **707:** Yep captured my heart at first glance and I still favor it hahaha. EXCITED EMOJI

 **V:** I am honored. HAPPY EMOJI It's been so long... Since I've seen that picture.

 **707:** It lead me to the love for space... Do you even realize absurdly beautiful it is? HEART EMOJI

 **V:** I'm a photographer, you know? This is nothing.

 **707:** Whaaaat

 **V:** Just kidding...

 **Wisteria:** That seems on par with Jumin's humor if I'm not mistaken.

 **707:** Yep... thought that was Jumin.

 **V:** No, I was really joking. And I'm like Jumin? That's a compliment, right?

 **707:** Ha...

 **V:** I'll take that as a compliment. SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **707:** That picture looks even more beautiful. It's been ages since I last saw it. Waaahh I can feel my love blazing for space!

 **V:** I'm so honored that you like it so much. That picture suggests how small you are in an infinitely enormous space and reflects the adoration and veneration towards the almighty space for holding in its embrace, and...

 **707:** SHOCKED EMOJI Stop stop! I already know how teeny tiny I am and space doesn't have to know!

 **V:** I'm sure it already knows even if you say that^^;

 **707:** CRYING EMOJI Ughhhhh

 **Wisteria:** Space has always been there so it knows all about us already, Seven, a time before us and a time with us

 **V:** No matter puny and tiny we are...space will love and understand.

 **707:** T-T

 **V:** Oh, that picture reminds me of a few others that I took with space as my subject... I once took a picture of the beautiful sun. I should shuffle through them and get the best one for the charity auction for the upcoming party.

 **707:** V

 **V:** Yes?

 **707:** Rather than auction you can donate it to me

 **V:** THINKING EMOJI Personal possession wouldn't be bad

 **707:** for free...

 **V:** That'd be better if it's for the good. It can make more people happy.

 **707:** SHOCKED EMOJI Kghh... The lights are attacking me I can see a halo behind u, V

 **V:** Halo?

 **Wisteria:** Seven, you're such a slave for money, greed isn't a virtue, you know!

 **707:** Yes... I thought money is everything in the world... I feel like I gotta pray and repent in your presence T-T But if you got a good picture of space, can I have it? lol V... tbh ur too virtuous I don't think I can ever understand u... I think I see how corrupted I am while looking at u T-T

 **V:** You're saying that I'm helpful... aren't you? HAPPY EMOJI

 **707:**... From now on I'll call you St. V. Want me to book a baptism session for u?

 **V:** St. V...? Baptism...? Did you forget I'm already a Catholic like you?

 **707:** ahhh... umm... sorry

 **Wisteria:** Would Holy V be a better substitute?

 **V:** Holy? No, I'm nowhere near holy... I don't think that's ever possible for me.

 **707:** Hey u sound more holy that halo was not my imagination... MOPING EMOJI

 **V:** That does sound funny^^

 **707:** yep

 **V:** Oh... we should settle on the date fast...

 **707:** Can I ask u something?

 **V:** What is it?

 **707:** About this party

 **V:** Oh, if you want to talk about the party, let's talk over the phone. I'll call you.

 **Wisteria:** Wouldn't it be easier to just talk here? It's not like a secret or anything, right?

 **707:** nonono It's not a secret... we can discuss here

 **V:** Huh?

 **707:** I'm sure we'll keep thinking of Rika if we hold parties.

 **V:** Oh...

 **707:** I was wondering if ur okay with that.

 **V:** I'm always thinking of Rika, even outside of parties.

 **Wisteria:** It's better to keep living rather than hold yourself back. Those already passed would typically want you to carry on.

 **707:** Um... You're right, but...

 **V:**...You're right, Wisteria. I... I've been trying to find out what Rika is trying to me through Wisteria.

 **707:** Yes? And?

 **V:** I don't know why...

 **V:** But I've reached the conclusion that she wants us to hold parties again.

 **707:** Um... if you think so.

 **V:** You don't sound convinced. Luciel, are you against holding parties by any chance?

 **707:** What? Uh no... It's not like that... I've been thinking a lot these days; Somebody attacked the server on my personal drive... Our situation is unstable too...

 **Wisteria:** When the rough gets going, it's better to stick together through hardship rather than split up.

 **V:** Yes, I agree. If we work together for a common goal. We'll eventually come to trust each other.

 **707:** I'm worried because I don't know if that'll lead to trust or betrayal... but still... But if u want everyone to just focus on preparing for the party I should do as you say... though there are things that keep bothering me.

 **V:** Thank you for understanding...

 **707:** I hope you're right... about holding parties about Wisteria carrying on with Rika's role and about your assumption that this is what Rika wanted.

 **V:** I hope so too. ^^

 **V:** Oh... I'm sorry I gotta

 **707:**?

 **V has left the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:** Oh. Did he leave?

 **707: Yes** he's gone. Is he having trouble with his connection? The timing was a little weird ;; No. I'm sure it's just a coincidence. We weren't talking about anything strange now. Which reminds me I feel like V's photos showed the sun a lot.

 **Wisteria:** All artists have a muse when they begin work on a series or project, it's possible that he uses the sun as his muse, something that inspires him to create what he does through his camera It's no different than when I'm painting, I look for inspiration in the world around me. I usually find what I'm looking for when I'm outside among nature which is different than V, he must think of the stars above as his own muse.

 **707: !** Oh- New development in the case of Wisteria! ur an artist?

 **Wisteria:** I'm a painter, to be specific - I'm sorry I'm unable to show any of my work at the time being - But nevertheless, yes I'm an artist.

 **707:** Would you paint me a photo of space?

 **Wisteria:** Not for free lol and besides, I'm in a slump right now. You'll have to wait

 **707:** MOPING EMOJI Anyways it's true that that photo has a lot of light in it. I wonder... Is it because of Rika? She used to mention the sun a lot when she's lecturing or persuading...Is it because of V's photos or maybe it's the other way around. I'm not sure which one it is. Speaking of the sun, I suddenly wonder... Why does V take the pictures of the sun so much? The sun of the day, the sun of the night, and the sun of the space? And they're basically about the sun, aren't they?

 **Wisteria: Hard to say.**

 **707:** Let's think about the sun for a moment, It shines on its own. It explodes every minute. It can feed the entire solar system and... what else is there? Is there anything can attract V there? But V isn't here. No matter how much we talk about this, we won't get the answer. Oh, btw I haven't seen Zen all day what's keeping him from the chatroom all day? ;;

 **Wisteria:** I talked to him early this morning but I haven't heard from him since. Maybe he's busy?

 **707:** Hm I'm worried if he's even aware that we're holding a party now. I should try calling him cuz' I'm always the one most caring about our member's well-being!

 **Wisteria:** It's important to care about your friends! If you're worried you should definitely check on him before you head to bed. Nice to see you have some compassion beyond the jokes.

 **707:** Compliments are the magic words that make Seveny Dance. EXCITED EMOJI EXCITED EMOJI

 **707:**...If I'm absent - the other members will care for me, right?

 **Wisteria:** Of course they would! I would too, everyone is friends here, remember?

 **707:** Ur our newest member but you care for me so much T-T I hope he picks up. Then, I'll see you later Wisteria!

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

* * *

"Where are you right now? I was just in your room a few minutes ago, but you weren't there... Were you aware by any chance?"

"Oh. I was in the other room doing some sightseeing." That wasn't a lie. I had wandered down the hall - looking in and out of the rooms that were the floor I was... this floor, there was no one on it but myself. That in itself was strange - every room was empty and unused. When I had peered out a side window, I couldn't guess how high this floor was either. It clearly had a few floors- I also assumed it had many chambers underneath the building as well. The layout of this place was going to be very hard to distinguish.

My current game of recon had been for naught. Entering my room, I held my phone to my ear as I listened to Ray speak. His tone sounded a bit disappointed for some reason. "I see. So we missed each other. Like I said, you can explore that floor whenever you want. Umm... If you're in your room right now, could you take a look at your bed? I brought you some flowers. I picked only the pretty and fresh ones for you. I hope you like them."

I looked at the bed. There it was on the pillow. A bundle of flowers. "Oh, so you did. This is a lovely arrangement, Ray... I've never received flowers from anyone that I wasn't related to before." I paused, thinking about all the times that my own Mother had tried to bring me flowers- thinking she could do what my Father once had before things had descended into chaos in our household in the past- when I received any from her, it made me feel terrible but no amount of trying to express these feelings ever managed to get through to her.

The fact that Ray had done this had thrown me off-guard. "So, I guess I could say I feel... happy." I murmured.

"Yeah. I was thinking about you as I made it... I'm glad you like it...! This is nothing. I want to give you something even better. What could be better than flowers...? I'll try to come up with something better! Anyways, it would have been better if I could put those flowers in those tiny hands of yours. It's kind of a shame. Um... though it's not included in that bouquet, there's this really pretty flower called anemone. Have you ever seen it?"

"Through pictures, yes I have," I confirmed.

"Yeah. It looks pretty even through pictures. The flower itself is pretty, but its language is so sad. So I don't wanna give it to you. Anemone has several meanings in the languages of flowers, but the most well-known one is a betrayal. Even thinking about it makes my heart ache... and that term doesn't suit you either." He trailed off as if he couldn't find the right word.

Does he think I'll hurt him by choosing a member of the RFA to care for? I didn't want to hurt him any more than he already had been by people around him like that woman. This boy had suffered enough as it was. There wasn't time to think about something like that in this place - the best possible outcome was just to find a way for peace for everyone. "You don't think I'll betray you, do you Ray? I like to think we're becoming friends now, you can trust me not to hurt you."

"Friends? Wow, I've never had one before," Ray breathed. The word 'friend' leaving his mouth in an unfamiliar fashion. "I cherish the thought that you consider us that way. I'll also trust you. I hope your room becomes full of flowery scents. And I hope you can wake up to flower scents and feel good. I hope you'll feel good as you stay here. I want you to be happy as long as you stay here."

"Well, I'm glad that I can be your first friend, Ray. You know, seeing flowers like these remind me of staying at my Grandparents house," I said, focusing on something besides being entrapped in this place forever without a way to escape. "They run a very popular garden destination for tourists in our town, there's flowers, plants, and little animals as far as your eyes can see. I spent a lot of my childhood there. There are so many types - and sometimes, I can't remember all of them. That's actually the place where I first discovered Wisteria."

"...Like your username," Ray concluded.

"Uhuh, you got it." I was laughing at the fond memories. Those were the safest for me to locate right now - I wouldn't worry about the present when I was looking at the past. "There's a story behind that but I'll have to tell you some other time."

"I would enjoy hearing that someday..." Ray trailed for a moment, seeming to be distracted by something for a moment. "Just a second... Looking for me? Alright. Someone important is looking for me, so I have to go. Let's chat again. Bye."

"Have a good evening, Ray." I sat there on the bed as my mind began to search for answers and reason. My heart was acting up for some reason I couldn't identify. _What is this I'm feeling?_ _A sinking feeling in the pit of my gut. Am I doing the wrong thing? No, I couldn't reveal anything to the group if I wanted to yet. If I slipped up and he knew, if SHE knew than... Not yet._ I would have to play this game just a little longer.

There was something to be said about these flowers that he had left for me.

My phone began to ring unexpectedly - I almost dropped the device onto the ground with a loud thud. The ID card told me it was V, why would V be calling me this late? I picked up with my finger touching the green button. "Hello, Wisteria. Can you talk right now? Actually, there are a few things that I'd like to ask you." He was oddly quiet - enough that I thought my volume was low but upon checking it wasn't. It was like he was whispering but just above it so you wouldn't ask.

"This is a little sudden, V... what is it?"

"It's nothing big. I'd like to ask you this question... because I'd like to trust you. I'm sure the others members already asked you a lot... But... can you tell me about the place you're staying? Or, what do you see around you?"

I bit my lower lip. Here - he wanted to know about this place. What if he didn't already know about this place? "I'm not sure if you would believe me if I told you," I told him honestly.

"Oh..." Unsatisfied with this answer, he changed his direction. "If that's the case, I would like to apologize for making you think that way- I, I was only curious. I wasn't trying to gain something from you, just in case you're wondering. Um, allow me to ask one more thing. Did you get any gift of some sort at that place?"

Gift?

Was V... Could he possibly...? No, no. That couldn't be the case.

"A bouquet, why?" I asked.

"A bouquet...? There'll be no problem if it's just a collection of flowers... Still, I'm worried. I've seen this in the news before - A person lost conscious after drinking something from a stranger, so we should watch ourselves. So if you get a gift from a stranger... or feel that something's fishy, I suggest you take a look at things again, even at things you've taken for granted." V warned. Clearly, he knew more then he let on, not that he was going to tell me this, I figured. Secrets were always his game. It wasn't that he wanted to keep them, I hoped, it was that he was trying to protect people from the truth.

I stared at the wall ahead of me. _V... I want to trust you._ "I appreciate your concern, V, honestly. There's just a lot that I can't really tell you yet is all. I... I can handle this myself, right now. If that ever changes, you'll be the one that I tell."

"Alright..." V said. "I hope nothing happens to you, then, sincerely. I do appreciate that you've considered reaching out if it turns out to wrong. Since you've joined us, now you're one of the RFA, I truly hope you'll feel safe. Oh, pardon me. I must leave now. Somebody's coming. Now, excuse me." He hung up.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Wow. What to think. What to think. Should she trust this or that, him or her? The line seems a lot thinner then she thought it would be.


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/25/2018.**

* * *

FOUR

"DANGER DANGER."

* * *

In the middle of the night, it appeared that I missed a chat with Ray while I had been trying to get a little bit of rest. I read through my log history and skimmed over what he was talking about - He sent me a photo of a plant that had branched into two. It was clear... an outlet for him to talk about his twin brother and himself, what they once were and how he considers them to be now. I frowned. It was incredibly unfortunate that he truly believed that Seven had abandoned him this entire time.

I wanted him to know that his brother cared- truly cared- but Rika was far too in control of the direction of his thoughts- if I were to even mention Seven in a good light or even at all I knew he would be angry or hurt. I feared how painful he might take it, how hard he might lash out against himself.

My thoughts were broken by a sudden phone call.

It was Yoosung.

I answered. "Oh, hey Yoosung, what are you doing up this late?"

"Hey Wisteria... The LOLOL server is undergoing maintenance right and it sucks! This wasn't scheduled, Aaaah. I can't believe they're doing this today." Yoosung groaned. It seemed like the end of his world the way he sounded- I couldn't say that I didn't know that feeling, because there were times when a game that I was playing was down. It was frustrating but the pain would pass.

"I know that feeling. This is usually the time that they do stuff like this- It's always during the late nights that the fewest amount of people are playing compared to during the afternoons and early evenings are usually the high trafficked times. It'll probably be fixed in no time, Yoosung." I reassured him. "You just have to be patient."

"Yeah. I hope so. I usually get depressed when this happens, but I thought it might be nice to talk to you. Talking to you is easing my anger at the LOLOL maintenance team. I should just wait it out... It should be done soon." Yoosung sighed into the phone. "Speaking of which, I never even thought of relieving stress through video games before. That's probably why I'm fascinated with myself by being into this game so much."

He was an A-plus student with determination and goals before what happened to Rika- He had already turned to LOLOL to fight through his grief. There was always something that could help you deal with your problems after a time of grief, but sometimes it was a vice that could take over your life. "How did you deal with stress before?"

"Thinking back right now I don't think I vented or relieved stress in any way... I spent weekends doing community service. The only games that I played then were the ones that children wanted to. I did explain how to play a board game once."

"That's rather earnest of you."

"Thanks for seeing it that way... I used to be earnest then but now I've become an earnest LOLOL player." He said with a little laugh. He paused for a moment and then asked a question. "How... How do you deal with stress?"

"Huh? Well, I used to have very poor habits when I was first dealing with my problems... I did some unhealthy things that I won't mention as it's hard to talk about now and won't really give you any benefit- But, uh, now I deal with my problems in a few ways that are actually healthy." I told him. "I pour myself in a drawing or a painting when I'm feeling low, much like you pour yourself in LOLOL. It can be great to relieve stress - Oh, sometimes I'll talk to somebody about how I'm feeling too be it a professional or a friend, but it really depends how I feel."

Yoosung was quiet on the other end. "Oh. That's something I didn't think of. I never tried painting before- I'm not very artistic, then again, I didn't play many video games until recently. Do you think after the party... Could you show me a thing or two? You made it sound like you're really good in the chat room- if it's your job I mean!"

I wasn't sure that I would be attending the party, or if the party would even happen. I liked the thought though. "Sure, Yoosung. I would like that. Don't worry about not being good! Art is subjective and we all start at the same level. Its a skill you train- no different then levels you get in LOLOL that makes you stronger."

"I guess we were all level one at the start. I just... want to try new things you know? Rika... Rika used to always tell me to follow my dreams- but I didn't really have much of them back then... Aaaah. I just feel like I should give everything a chance. Like, I won't know unless I try it out and everything is worth a shot." At the mention of his cousin, his tone was somber yet happy.

He didn't know what was Rika went through or how she was, he just knew she was his dear cousin who loved him. "Oh wait! There's a posting that there are only five minutes left until the server goes back online! Hey, I can log in! It's loading! Sorry to end our talk there, but I really need to play now." The chatter of his keyboard cut in and out of his words.

"Don't play too much." I reminded him. "Always take breaks after a half hour or so of playing, it rests your eyes and keeps you from blurry spots!"

"Oh... Thanks for your concern. Hehe. I'll talk to you soon."

"Bye-bye!"

Here Yoosung was thinking Rika was gone, and she was right here somewhere in this very building I was in. After all, Mint Eye was her creation and all of these followers were underneath her fingertips. She was likely not to leave this place when she had so many people to do things for her- to please her every whim- to satisfy any need. She was an arms reach away from everyone and they didn't even know it. If they did, what would they do given how early this was? That was the only thought I needed to remind me to check these halls again.

The past few days had been the same.

I would do my best to talk to everyone in the chatroom and to Ray when he popped in and out of it. When I wasn't doing that, I would explore every inch of the floor that I was on until my legs ached. There wasn't much to go on and there weren't any clues around here to give me enough information. I worried about when a change would come my way- would it terrifying and hard to navigate?

Today would turn out to be different, different from the past few days I had been here.

This was the first time that I had seen anyone on this particular floor with my own eyes.

I knew on occasion there were believers stationed near or around my room, I could hear them at night and during the day. Though, it was hard to gauge when they were close and when they were not. The sound of footsteps on the floor was usually a given when Ray dropped by my room, he made his presence clear when he came. I had been here for a few days already- the time passed before my very eyes. I had almost grown used to these walls and the isolation... well, the walls anyway. I was no stronger to isolation: self-inflicted and given.

And really, I was never alone since I had the RFA and Ray if I were to fish for the thought. I couldn't help my curiosity... When I looked out the door, there wasn't anyone in sight. Though the sound of footsteps was still there. I tip-toed to a corner, where the hallway turned into another corridor.

I stood at the edge of the wall and looked over the edge.

They were heading to the stairwell to get to the next floor, they were considerably tall given my own stature. They could have just been another one of the believer's of Mint Eye, however... This wasn't- it couldn't be another unknown member, underneath the hood I could have sworn I saw a mop of mint colored hair.

My heart rate began to rise: "V?"

I whipped my head away from the corner and held my hand to my lips. _It's one feeling when I see Ray here- but how could V be here now?!_ When I found the strength to look once more:

The figure was gone.

* * *

One stroke.

Second stroke.

Third stroke.

The lines were beginning to create something that I desperately wanted to convey. A personal series of sketches that I had been working on for months all started with simple sketches. I had no canvas to speak for in this place, but I could channel my focus into what would eventually be the next piece of work. My inspiration as of today was - the now freshly potted flowers that I had received from Ray as a token of affection.

He didn't seem like a bad person, but I knew he was capable of becoming someone very different from this boy I was coming to know. What was I supposed to do? This boy had already gone through much anguish and he was struggling - lost in his work and on a downward spiral.

Another stroke of my pencil went across the paper.

When was the last time somebody had thought of me and given me a gift like this that wasn't my own family. I couldn't recall a moment recently like that, I hadn't many friends to speak for these days as I pushed many of them out of my life when I had lost myself.

Him.

The image rushed into my mind, unassuming and unprovoked, but it was there.

That guy. That horrible man that I blamed with all of my being. The one that caused me to sink into the water with no room to breathe. I had not thought of him in so long. So long i almost believed it was a bad dream. The lingering feeling of my hip jutting into the crook of my elbow as I sat there reminded me that it was real.

If I turned my head to gaze upon myself in the corner mirror of this room I would see myself and somebody who was not myself. The curves of my body were beginning to return and I no longer feared every waking moment with a few numbers on a scale rising, but I could still see the ghost of what I wasn't and what I was.

What did we go over when my heart began to quake?

"Amaryllis is love and passion... red is luck and fortune," I began to recite the facts that I knew. The only thing that I could always count on was the ever unchanging reality in the language of nature. Nothing would ever change drastically like our lives when it took ages for adaptation or change to come. My good memories growing up always involved the gardens.

My eyes continued to follow the shape and curvature of the flower my eye focused on as my pencil and small voice echoed throughout the room. "Marigolds. A flower of grief and yet, a reminder of the rising sun."

I couldn't focus.

"Asters... Many meanings since ancient times but Grandmother would insist patience and elegance." The pressure from my hand began to tighten and my breath caught in my throat.

I couldn't think.

"Blue rose. Blue rose. He bears a blue rose... unobtainable and impossible."

The graphite snapped and the crumbling pit of fear began to crawl up my back. My nails dug into the pad of my skin in response. The sketchbook sank to the floor with a clank with my forgotten tools. "No. No. I'm letting this control me," My voice cracked when I whispered to myself.

The feeling won in a short battle against me and for the longest ten minutes of my life i was left laying against the plush blankets with that dread washing over me. I was dying, I was dying, and I was laying here. I cradled my head in my hands and just laid there for the longest time.

Darkness always won when he lingered.

Then in the darkness despite the odds my phone began to chime and chime. The sound was familiar and it took my brain a moment to recognize the noise as something other than the chatter of a bird. Chatroom. I realized. Chatroom. There was an opened chatroom on my phone. My trembling fingers took hold of my phone and lifted it to my face.

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray:** Good afternoon Lila! I didn't interrupt you, did I?

 **Wisteria:** No. There hadn't been much happening in the past while. I was actually working on an illustration - it wasn't turning out like I wanted so I decided go come here and see how you were haha

 **Wisteria:** Frustrating but that's the way of an artist.

 **Ray:** You've eaten this afternoon right?

 **Wisteria:** Yes. I have.

 **Ray:** Good. Having a healthy diet is the shortcut to staying healthy. I just had a chocolate bar. Though it's not a proper meal, it's sweet and enhances my happy mood.

 **Wisteria:** Now what did I say about eating right, Ray? Snacks are good but make sure you actually sit down soon, okay! You can't ignore your body. That's not healthy!

 **Wisteria:** I'd hate to think that you were wasting away while you were working like that! T-T

 **Ray:** CRYING EMOJI I'm sorry if I made you upset, Lila.

 **Wisteria:** No. It's...

 **Wisteria:** You didn't upset me, Ray. I just remembered something painful is all.

 **Ray:** Oh. Are you feeling okay? I don't want you to feel any pain.

 **Wisteria:** I'm okay. I promise. There's something that I hate to think about - but maybe I'll let you know about it eventually - friends can confide in each other when they're feeling bad.

 **Ray:** Friends... confide in each other?

 **Wisteria:** Sometimes you listen to their pain and sometimes you just talk to them when they need somebody to talk to to forget their pain. It's about trust.

 **Ray** : I see the AIs talked about friendship earlier. The friendship between V and Jumin... Lila, do you believe in friendship?

 **Wisteria:** It can be rare to find the golden ones, but yes, I do believe in it and its power to make you feel better.

 **Ray:** Really? You must have a lot of friends... I want to learn about friendship. I wonder what it really is. I wonder what it feels like to equally trust and rely on each other... I never had friends. I wasn't allowed to play outside when I was young, That's why I try to go out often these days. I really enjoy going out to see the flowers in particular.

 **Wisteria:** I share the sentiment. It can be refreshing and help you really clear your mind if you can lose yourself surrounded by nature. You are very fond of flowers, if I recall, right?

 **Ray:** Yes I am! If you can call flowers your friends. I have quite many ^^ Oh right, I'm memorizing flower languages too, I believe I mentioned that to you before...Let me know if there's any meaning you'd like to know!

Huh. Was there a flower that I didn't already know? I had been drilled when I was younger to know the meaning and background of many different kinds of flora and fauna. There would be times when I would tag along on my Grandparents property to hear them giving tours for visitors that wanted to hear them. The flower he had pinned to the lapel of his coat. I wondered. It was a blue rose, was it not? I could not recall the meaning of that one in particular. Red roses often got the spotlight.

I began to type after a moment.

 **Wisteria:** Hm. What do blue roses stand for?

 **Ray:** The meaning of the blue rose... Impossible. Unattainable. To some, this world may be filled with possibilities. Giving happiness to those sad people is what I have to do. Hey, Lila - I wonder if I could be your best friend. A friend who can share a deep wide world...even deeper then V and Jumin's world! WINK EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Anything is possible. These things take time though!

 **Ray:** Of course we'll need time... but what's important for you is to wish to be here. Because I have to stay here. I just finished my meal with that important guest I told you about before.

 **Ray:** It would have been better if I ate with you...Actually, that person is the one who supervises everything about this place We sometimes have meals or tea together but it's been uncommon these days.

 **Wisteria:** That seems unfortunate. You must really lonely these days.

 **Ray:** While we were eating, this person said that all my senses are focused on you ever since you came here and that it was important for me not to get obsessed with something if I wanted to take care of big things... I... didn't think I was being obsessed with you.

 **Ray:** What do you think?

 **Wisteria:** I don't think I would call it that. I think you just feel strongly about everything, maybe. Sometimes when you make a friend - it can be really exciting and all you ever want to think about is learning about them and hanging out with them.

 **Ray: Really?** Maybe it's okay. I'm not sure myself. Honestly, I've never given a deep thought about my emotions... haha...

Ah - That important person was interested in you. Actually, the overall development plan for the app you're testing was all that person's idea!

Interested in me?

Rika was interested in me? That was a lot to take in at front value and held so many different meanings that the thought made my skin crawl. There had to be a level of this that she had instructed of him to bring someone here to do this - was she in charge of whoever was brought here, or was Ray given some free reign when it came to his choices? However, how invested she was in me, was the bigger issue. Her intention was to bring the RFA to her, right? How far does she think she can make this go?

Somewhere in this building, she was just watching the game play out.

 **Wisteria:** Then, would it be far-fetched to say that this person is your boss?

 **Ray:** Um... I'm not really hired but it's the same as working for this person, as I'm going to do everything that person tells me to do... This person is my savior If things go well... You'll be able to meet this person as well. I thoroughly admire this person so I'm sure you'll be the same.

 **Ray:** When I think about you being here I still feel so thrilled. The fact that you came here with your own free will still makes me very happy. I'd be really happy if you stayed here continuously If possible... even after everything's done! HAPPY EMOJI

He came on very strong. He was desperate to keep me here by his own means. Some of this could have been from the fact that he hadn't known anyone else in his life except for three people who had done different things to him - all of which left him feeling pain. I liked Ray and I wanted to keep him safe, I already made up my mind. But there's a thin line keeping me safe from that... Elixir and... Rika.

I wanted no part in Rika's game of manipulation and poison.

 **Wisteria:** I haven't made up my mind yet. I don't mind chatting with you though.

 **Ray:** Really? Are you sure?

 **Ray:** Oh, what am I to do? It's my first time here such words I'm really glad. I'm really really really happy! My heart's beating really fast... What do I do? Oh, omg... My heart's about to burst. I don't know how to describe this.

He was quiet after that for a little bit.

 **Ray:** Oh, you're here! I think I'm really lucky. ^^ Because I was on my way to your room...

 **Wisteria:** Right now?

 **Ray:** Yes. I really miss you. HAPPY EMOJI Lila, what were you up to?

 **Wisteria:** Nothing much, really. This and that.

 **Ray:** There's something I imagined as your hobby, can you hear me out? Watching videos through smartphones, scribbling, and play the game I've installed for you.

 **Wisteria:** That's about what I do daily. Though, those are hobbies I've always participated in.

 **Ray:** Really? That's good. I want to know more about you. I think I've thought of you the whole day. You know what...? I've never liked somebody, so I'm not sure about this, but... I keep thinking about you. That must be because I like you, isn't it?

 **Wisteria:** Hm, well yeah, in some ways. That's the fun part when it comes to getting to know somebody-

That there's something new to learn about the other person every time you interact

But it takes time to get to know somebody very well, Ray

 **Ray:** Okay, if you say so...

 **Ray:** I'm... I might not be an interesting person I hope you won't be disappointed with me... Because, I already can't get you out of my head... The funny thing is... I want you to think of me too. What do you think about the desire to control someone else's actions? Is it good? Or is it bad?

 **Wisteria:** It can be suffocating if you come on too strong, Ray. I know the feeling though... Um, I mean to say though I know it can be difficult to gauge what's too strong if you've never had a friend before.

 **Ray:** I'm sorry if I made you feel cramped up. CRY EMOJI Don't be too burdened by that. How's the game today? Up to which part, have my AIs revealed their secrets to you? How much have you hung out with the AIs? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** V turned out to be more active than usual - that wasn't something I expected.

 **Ray:** You're doing well, just like I asked you...! HAPPY EMOJI Thanks... Oh, I can't stand chatting like this. I want to see you right now. Oh. Almost there, Lila, Could you open the door?

 **Wisteria:** Um, sure, hold on!

 **Ray:** ^^ HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray has left the chatroom.**

There were footsteps colliding with the tiles outside - the first time that I had heard that sound in quite a bit. This would be the first time that we had seen each other since I had arrived at this place. I stood up and headed over to the door, my fingers grasping the knob and pulling it open to reveal the boy behind it. Ray seemed much calmer then he had been in the chat room moments earlier.

He was as he always had been with an uncertain expression on his face, but a posture that said otherwise. He seemed relieved to see my face because he smiled. "Finally... I've missed you so much. I'm sorry I couldn't visit you more often."

"You've been busy with your work, that's nothing to be sorry about." I clarified with the wave of my hand as if it were nothing. "You have a job to do and all. I'm not going to be upset about it." Busy with his computers and keeping his brother at bay, that was.

"I am, but I just wanted to see you. I hope I'm not bothering you though. Well, the air is good tonight. It's perfect weather to take a walk... Remember what I told you on the phone?" He asked, leaning forward as the silence built up between us.

"You mentioned a garden." I murmured.

His head bobbed up and down in confirmation. "Yes, and I'm going to take you there! When you talked about your family - I figured out what you might enjoy most here to cure any homesick feeling you have A good idea, right? Don't you feel bored stuck on this floor? I appreciate you playing my game so earnestly, but you might forget reality if you're too focused on playing the game." He was beaming with enthusiasm. Ray was smiling as he fiddled with his hands.

"I know the difference between reality and fantasy, you know?" I cracked a weak smile best I could manage. Did I really? I was a living experience that the line between reality and pseudo-reality could be incredibly blurred; I couldn't know what was real and what wasn't.

"I know...! You're not offended are you?" Ray's eyes widened and he shook his head. He hoped he hadn't done the wrong thing. He extended his hand towards my own. "I found some free time for myself to be with you. I want to make a memory with you... wait, no, a lot of memories! Just for tonight... let's go see the flowers... in my favorite garden. You'll see them glowing softly in the moonlight."

* * *

"Ahah, it's so great to be here with you."

Ray lead me through stairs and corridors for a while... was he going in circles or was this really how far it was? I wondered.

I did my best to watch how many hallways we turned through, and which stairs went in which direction. My eyes were not blindfolded - but I could still feel very blinded to the scale of how big this place was. There were imposing doors that opened to an enhanced garden that looked like it went on a for couple yards around this side of the building. I had caught sight of it from my room, just the corner of it, but this was big and imposing. There was the genius of all kinds out here, I couldn't even remember all the names of each petal and leaf.

If I was thinking about anything at that moment it all dissolved into nothing. If I was thinking that the world around me was going to crumble it was gone. If he was watching me, he might have noticed my wide eyes and agape lips.

"Wow..." I couldn't hold back my astonishment. I hadn't seen anything like this in a long time.

This was carefully tended to, and there was so much here, my Grandparents would be delighted. "It really is beautiful." I had to agree with him. I didn't expect there to be anything good here in this place - I thought Mint Eye was... Well, when you think of people in a cult, you don't think of beautiful flowers and high-class architecture. You think dark mysterious castles that are surrounded by dragons and thick twisting vines... something imposing that makes you tremble where you stand.

It really did feel like I was dreaming... as much as I wanted to lose myself to that feeling- I couldn't.

"I haven't seen something like this in a while, Ray." I smiled.

Cold, clean, antiseptic smelling rooms - eyes on top of me - no way out - all of that meant nothing the moment my feet had touched the familiar dirt and red clay underneath my feet. When they released me from the ward months ago, I spent three weeks on my Mother's family property to gather myself before I returned to my apartment and work.

"I'm just happy to see you smiling!" Ray beamed.

"This is the kind of place I can only dream about." I said. "There's so many varieties and colors out here. Oh, like this Amaryllis, it's such a vibrant crimson - it reminds me of the sunset "

I had once done a piece with any tint of red that I could get my hands on and the color reminded me of that emotional piece. "I did something like this once..." I murmured under the whips of the wind. "A painting with red just like that "

"Like that painting you did with a Phoenix rising from the evening sun...?" Ray provided as I stopped dead in my tracks.

"Ray... I never told you about that before." I didn't dare look at him. "Yes, that's exactly what I was referring to."

The darkness shrouded his face from mine. "Oh, I guess you didn't... You see, I hope you don't mind but I checked some of your social media." He said. "I noticed you talking about that there. You craft beautiful things."

Something in his words made a chill run down my spine. "Oh, okay. Thanks. I don't hear that often."

"I feel great, I feel about you, this garden, and that moon. It's been a few days since you came here. Whenever I wake up from my short nap, I keep checking the log. Because it feels like a dream. You're enjoying your chat with the RFA... a lot more then you do with me... I'm grateful to you for testing the game in my place... but I'm often scared that you might disappear into the game. And today, I thought I might lose you to the game, so I couldn't help coming for you."

I looked at him through the evening light. He held so tightly to my hand that I thought he assumed that I would run for a brief moment - that I would run into the forest and try to escape - then, I noticed the unease on his face as he spoke. It was strange, to see him from different depths then I was used to from just my screen. The world around me may have felt two dimensional and lacking what I once knew but the gears in my brain were encapsulated by how striking he was even from my perspective.

By how he just existed. When I realized I was just, staring, I decided to branch forward and ask him something I was wondering. Just what would he be willing to admit to me this soon? "Just what exactly do you do here, Ray?" I pressed.

"What do I do...? There are a lot of things that I do, but they're all basically the same! It's showing somebody something entertaining. Everything in this place is administered by my supervisor. I can't help but be busy. There are still people out there who need our help." Ray explained.

"What do you mean by, help?" I inquired.

"We do more than just develop games, it's a variety of things, really. It's all for the benefit of people that my supervisor believes- People that are in desperate need out there."

"That's... valiant of you to want to help people, Ray." I pointed out to him. My fingers squeezing against his own unconsciously. "Though, you don't strike me as the one to follow someone's lead without your own convictions." He wasn't a pawn of the Queen.

"Oh?" He raised an eyebrow.

"Think of it... Well, think of it like a game of chess, Ray. You aren't one of the common pawns, you could be the knight if you so wanted. Always two steps ahead of the others pieces and a stronger conviction inside of you." He wasn't powerless against the queen - he could be strong if he just knew the way out to get ahead of her rather then standing behind her every move. "That's - ...Hm. I mean to say, that you're smart in your own right and um, you're stronger then you think."

Ray was staring at me.

He wasn't saying anything but he had stopped walking for a moment - a brief second - as he scrutinized my words. He looked as if he was unsure of what I was saying to him.

His lips parted for a moment, then closed, then reopened.

"Is that a compliment?" He mused as his face turned pink as could be. He covered his face, letting out a soft noise in a rebuff to what he was feeling. "I've never got one before from somebody I admired - I mean to say, from somebody like you... Ah, my chest feels so heavy again because of your words. You're very kind, Lila. I'm glad you think so well of me... You even trusted me with your name... You didn't even tell those AI your true name."

"I don't know... I just wanted you to know it."

We stayed like that for a few moments before we began walking wordlessly once again through his garden.

"Oh, watch your step. Construction materials were left behind, I told them to clean them up. It seems they didn't finish their job. This building hasn't been completed yet. It's complete on the outside, but the basement inside is still under construction. You'll soon be able to roam around the building as you please... though, a few more contracts would be necessary. Oh, let's not talk about this now." Ray paused. He took one look upward at the sky and then directed his attention back to me as he continued to speak. "If you want to be one of us forever, I'll do everything in my power to help you. So please, I ask that you let me in... So that we... I mean, I can get inside... Oh, the wind's gone icy. You shouldn't catch a cold, Lila."

"Already?"

"You're right... You must feel like you're trapped, stuck in that room with no chance to be anywhere else... If you promise to be one of us soon, you could be free. Could you please give me more time? I'll log in and visit you more often. I won't keep you alone and trapped. Now... Let's go, I'll walk you to your room."

That freedom he spoke of. I was certain I did not want. He almost made it sound... Euphoric. The bile in my gut knew better than that. Could I pull him away from this...? Could I do this without losing myself to the game? The danger here was very much real and if I reached a bad ending: I had no way of knowing that the game would reset- that I would make it back to the start. This was very much real and there no way to know if I took a wrong step that I would make it out alive. I had this in the back of my mind the whole time Ray lead me back to my room.

Yet... I could have sworn that I felt eyes lingering on my back before we reentered the building... yet, I couldn't bring myself to turn around. I had felt this earlier in the day but it turned out to be nothing- there had been no one there... It must have been just another feeling.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

That was heavy... Things are pretty innocent now which I like but that's not going to last very long. Thanks for the views and favorites and such! It keeps me motivated when I hear people loved my stuff!


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/25/2018.**

* * *

FIVE

"To Waver."

* * *

The thought wouldn't leave my mind no matter how hard I tried. Ray knew something about me that he shouldn't have known. How - How could he know about my artwork if I didn't exist in this world? He couldn't have looked at my pages - there was no way - those apps existed on my phone as they were, but they didn't exist here. So many questions and so many unanswered stops.

Despite how good I had felt when I saw the outside of this place - this was really making it hard to sleep at night. It was around two o'clock in the morning when I rolled over in my bed and decided to check the chatroom.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **707:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** What are you up to this late, Seven?

 **707:** I thought I saw some weird log on the messenger and I think there was lag too... Just what is the problem? CRYING EMOJI

 **707:** There's no prob with the log... the database's fine... No way...is my hard drive the problem? No...! Everything is fine... It's fineeeeee!

 **Wisteria:** Another hacking, possibly?

 **707:** I think so... I dunno T-T

 **707:** Huh? Huuuh? Oh, speak of the devil! I finally found something strange! There's a chatroom that was created after midnight... but no actually logged on...?! SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Past midnight? Oh...

 **707:** what? u sound like u know something..! Did... something happen?

 **Wisteria:** There was definitely some kind of disruption but I didn't think much of it.

 **707:** Don't tell me... Is this related to that hacker who introduced you...? SHOCKED EMOJI

 **707:** If that's the case, you should tell me! You must! T-T though I get this feeling that you won't tell me even if you know... I should check the database query... let's try comparing the last backup rotation time and automatic server function...

At that point - I couldn't focus at all no matter how hard I tried. Seven tried to get some information from me through that chatroom and it kept spinning around and around until I was saved by Zen's arrival to the chatroom.

The actor diverted the conversation over to some less serious subject and there wasn't any way for Seven to subject me to any questioning with Zen hatting idly like that, so he began to joke around with Zen and me instead about this and that. It was hard for me to be invested in the conversation, to be honest. His maid came for him not long after Zen logged out of the chatroom.

For another chatroom, it appeared as though I had gotten out of trying to explain myself over and over to the RFA. There was the feeling that I was doing the wrong thing. I could have been honest with them and told them about this place - but I just, didn't.

Was I holding the truth back because I was scared for myself? I rolled over on the bed so my back was away from the moonlight. The truth was on the tip of my tongue. I wanted to tell them. I really did. But how much trouble would they be in if they knew how badly things had become?

* * *

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:** Hey V

 **V:** Hello, Wisteria. HAPPY EMOJI I happened to be thinking that we could have more chance to chat! We still have a lot to learn about each other.

 **Wisteria:** Hm, of course. Is there anything you want to know?

 **V:** There is... There are many things I'd like to ask but there's something I'd like to confirm first. We happen to be racing towards a common goal and we should help each other when trouble comes. Right?

 **Wisteria:** Right. I told you before that I would tell you if things got out of hand.

 **V:** If you find yourself in a scary situation I'd like you to tell me. Please. Perhaps I could help you then. Do you understand?

 **Wisteria:** When I think things are beyond my measure you'll know.

 **V:** Yes... Yes. That's good to hear.

 **V:** I talked to my father today, and it was... SWEATDROP EMOJI terribly awkward.

 **V:** We didn't use to be awkward from the beginning. But one this invisible wall was built between us and we began to talk less frequently. Then one day... we found ourselves rather awkward and distant. After hanging up, I thought... that even though we picked different opinions and even though we have completely different characteristic things could have been different by now if we talked more if we communicated more.

 **V:** That's what I keep regretting. But I'm afraid my relationship with my father... has reached the point where regret is no longer of us.

 **Wisteria:** I'd like to think that it's never too late... But, I can understand where you're coming from personally. Sometimes somebody just doesn't doesn't want to see your side of things and the conversations just end up dead weight.

 **V:** A relationship is a communication that involves both parties. No matter how much one party tries there's no point if the corresponding party has no intention to return. I think my father is most comfortable when he walks on the path of his own. That path is terribly different from the one I seek so I think there's nothing I can do about our relationship.

 **V:** Anyways I think communication matters more than anything else. especially with someone, you'll always be with and with something precious to you. The RFA is so precious to me. So I'd like to communicate with you too.

 **Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** V

 **V:** Welcome, Jumin!

 **Jumin Han:** I see you're chatting with Wisteria.

 **Wisteria:** Hello Jumin

 **Jumin Han:** Hey I see you two are chatting.

 **V:** Yep. Precious are trust and communication.

 **Jumin Han: I know, but don't you think it's too early for that?** She's still a new member, but I think you care about her too much, V. It's unusual.

 **V:** Hey, you didn't have to call it, 'unusual', did you? SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **Wisteria: I don't think it's all that strange.**

 **Jumin Han:** However, I'm the type of person who has to speak what he sees. It bothers me a bit that you're very enthusiastic with Wisteria, V. It's been barely a week since we've met her but it looks like you're trying to get close to her within an even shorter amount of time.

 **V:** Um...

 **Jumin Han:** V, are you trying to use an indirect method of answering your questions by talking to Wisteria? It looks to me that you're trying to pray out answers regarding Wisteria's identity and location and other information that Luciel and Jaehee could not obtain.

 **V:** I believe I asked the rest of you to entrust me and Luciel regarding that part.

 **Wisteria:** I can't tell you more than I already have. There's a good reason why I swear ;;

It was going over and over in circles just like it had with Seven. I began to type something out.

I could keep them at arm's length like this for a while longer until I had a better plan. I couldn't shake the thought from my mind that I actually saw V at this place either and that was strange. When and how did he discover what Rika had become? It couldn't be possible that he knew it from the start.

He wouldn't have known that Rika would lose herself to her monsters... at least, not at first. Something had to have triggered her descent into this life - but what was that? In the life that I knew, Rika had gone on like this for two years as V struggled to either stop or control it from spreading but to no avail.

I wanted to trust the leader of the RFA, he would do the right thing in the end, right?

I couldn't tell them about Mint Eye... not in the chatroom. I couldn't even be certain that phone calls couldn't be monitored, not when I wasn't sure how Ray would take it. He didn't need to be here either. It would harm the both of us if I told the truth like this. I erased whatever my trembling fingers had begun to type.

 **V:** I'm sorry this turned out to sound like an investigation, Wisteria.

 **Jumin Han:** Just what is your good reason that you can't tell us? You know that Luciel and V are running their investigation on you, don't you?

 **V:** Jumin... For now, I'd like you to accept Wisteria without such suspicion... Like I said back then.

 **Jumin Han:** I know what your intention is.

 **V:** I simply wish to talk to her some more since she happens to be a new member.

 **Jumin Han:** So what you have for Wisteria is pure interest.

 **V:** Yes.

 **Wisteria:** You didn't have to trust me so readily... you haven't even figured out my identity or location you know.

 **Jumin Han:**...You took the words right out of my head.

 **V:** That's...

 **Jumin Han:** Because you have a very good reason.

 **V:** Yes... I do.

 **Jumin Han:** It's just that it's rather difficult for me to understand the fact that you would be interested in someone without answering the questions regarding the said someone. However... for now, I'll let it pass, just like you said V.

 **V:** Thank you...

 **Jumin Han:** So you talked to your father. Is it about business?

 **V:** Umm... Let's just say that it's a fact that I'll be seeing you soon.

 **Jumin Han:** I see.

 **V:** Did you say anything related to me to my father yesterday?

 **Jumin Han:** Not really...

 **Wisteria:** Is there something wrong with that?

 **V:** Uh, well... It's just that my father suddenly said that he'll visit my studio in person... and he's never visited my studio.

 **Jumin Han:** So isn't that supposed to be the thing?

 **V:** Um... Do you think he's trying to use our friendship for business? So maybe that's why he wants to revisit his relationship with me?

 **Wisteria:** That's very pessimistic of you, V.

 **Jumin Han:** I agree. He's your family. I do not understand that he'd see his own family with such purpose. That's an extremely mercenary evaluation. It does not suit a father-son relationship at all.

 **V:** If you know my father well, you'd bet that he can be as mercenary as he wants to...

 **Jumin Han:** Hm... QUIET EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** V, listening to you makes me rethink what I said. Do you think meeting among the four of us was really a good idea?

 **V:** Hm... I can't say that it's completely fine with me.

 **Jumin Han:** From now on, I'll make sure the only topic of conversation I share with your father is business.

 **V:** Yes, that's a sound decision. **Sorry for being complicated. I got you concerned.**

 **Wisteria:** Everyone has their own past and choices.

 **Jumin Han:** I agree. I do not recommend trying to know something too deep.

 **V:** Yes, every person's life is a domain separate from each other. Jumin... you're much more mature and reasonable then I am. Not to mention you have a wonderful family.

 **Jumin Han:** A wonderful family...? QUIET EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** So even a family that has its mother changing twice and father's lover visiting once every three months can seem like a wonderful family to someone, huh?

 **Wisteria:** Stability is a hell of a thing.

 **V:** That's what everyone wishes for.

 **Wisteria:** I don't know. I've yet to see one for myself.

 **V:** Maybe there is, somewhere on the Earth^^

 **Jumin Han:** When someone mentions a stable home, it feels like each of its residents gave up for their individual characters for the sake of communal life...

 **V:** I think the most stable home is a household that accepts each person's character. Don't you agree?

 **Jumin Han:** It's easier said then done...

 **V:** Yeah, that right. But you managed to summarize it in a single line. I'm sure Mr. Han will be so proud of you. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** I wish. I'm proud of my father business-wise so I hope he thinks the same. Oh of course... I'm not talking about private life.

 **V:** Ahaha;; SWEATDROP EMOJI **We'll talk more about our families between the two of us** with a glass of wine. I've never really told you what my family is like, have I?

 **Jumin Han:** That's right. I can't remember the last time we've outside the messenger.

 **V:** I'll see you once the party is held.

 **Jumin Han:** Fine.

 **Wisteria:** You two have a great friendship...

 **Jumin Han:** I remember this golden quote that a good friend is always a pleasure a guest welcome.

 **V:** That can't be any more perfect for our relationship.

 **Jumin Han:** Yes. I can count on our friendship.

 **V:** I wish I could be a good friend to you as well, Wisteria, like I am with Jumin. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** That's up to time and personalities. I'm sure your relationship will progress in a good way if your personality is a good match with Wisteria's that is.

 **V:** Yes... I hope so.

 **Jumin Han:** I should be leaving. Oh, V...

 **V:** Yes?

 **Jumin Han:** Though I'm sure it can be as bad as it for Yoosung... **often I find myself puzzled with traces of Rika.** So I guess everyone is still mourning.

 **V:** Why are you saying that all of a sudden?

 **Jumin Han:** Because I'm not sure if you're grieving enough. A lot of things are changing... including Wisteria's introduction... I keep thinking perhaps we're changing when it's not the time yet.

 **Wisteria:** I'd like to think my joining the RFA to progress in a good way.

 **V:** HAPPY EMOJI I agree with you Wisteria. There's something that Rika left behind for me... and for its sake, I must not fear changes.

 **Wisteria:** I think you can do a good job, V...

 **V:** Thank you for saying that. I needed that the most right now. I'll tell you what it is... when the time comes.

 **Jumin Han:** Sure. I trust your judgment.

 **V: Thanks for trusting me.** You do realize I'm always grateful, don't you? HAPPY EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** Of course, I do. And now, I'll leave. For real.

 **V:** Okay, see you, Jumin!

 **Wisteria:** Goodbye.

 **Jumin Han:** Its lunchtime soon, don't forget your lunch. Wisteria, V.

 **V:** Thank you for your concern.

 **Jumin Han:** Now excuse me.

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

 **V:** Jumin is very kind. He always was. I can tell because I've been with him for such a long time. Others wouldn't know that.

 **Wisteria:** That's a privilege you have as his friend.

 **V:** I agree. He has a very keen judgment... so I'm sure he has a rough sense of the degree of secrets, I'm keeping

 **Wisteria:** It has to be a burden to hold many secrets. Why are you taking everything on by yourself?

 **V:** They are a burden. Sometimes merely knowing the truth requires me to take the responsibility for the said truth. I'm trying to keep such responsibility with me until there's nothing I should take responsibility for. Then I will explain to everyone. I tell myself that this for everyone... but I always feel sorry to everyone, including Jumin. To be honest, my childhood dream was to become a fabulous friend to suit Jumin.

 **Wisteria:** I don't think Jumin would like to hear that.

 **V:** You're right. I don't think he would understand.

 **V:** He'd just ask me for why I would set such a goal. He'll tell me that I'd be able to gain the most by living to my true character. He's much more mature then I am... Oh... look at the time. I should get going now. I really enjoy our conversation today. I hope we can talk even more next time... and trust each other some more. I wish to be a person who can help you immediately if you need it.

 **Wisteria:** Thank you, V.

 **V:** I hope you have a good day. And you should try looking up at the sky sometimes. HAPPY EMOJI I should leave now. Bye!

 **V has left the chatroom.**

* * *

It had felt like an eternity. A few days had past already - it was nearing a week - I woke up with the sun and scrubbed myself raw in the shower until I was sure that I was smelled of soap and not my gross memories. I felt lighter against the weight of the past few days as I redressed myself and inspected my reflection. It was adequate enough that left me feeling decent rather than disgusted.

This room was neat and tidy, unlike my own apartment. I lived in organized chaos - that was my natural order. The only touches of this place that were mine were the slept in sheets and few personal objects. I left my supplies against the desk as they had been since the night prior. - I couldn't focus long enough to draw anything.

My back collided with the firm mattress as I gazed up at the ceiling.

The doors in this place were heavy. When they were pushed in - they would creak and croak against the frame - it almost seemed as though it were intentional for some higher purpose. From around the corner of the door, there was a mop of whitish hair that peaked around the corner.

His head darted to the left and then the right.

"Ray?"

Ray was startled by the sound of my voice and gripped the door tight with his right hand. "Did I wake you? I apologize if I did."

"No, I've been up for a little while now already." I lifted my body upright and gave him a very small wave. "What brings you here this early?"

"I was just... I just wanted to... I wanted to check on you." Ray said, floundering, and a little stutter as he found what he wanted to say. "It's been a few days since... I saw you last - and I wanted to make sure you are breakfast today." He lifted the tray in his hands with a little nervous smile.

"Oh, wow. You didn't have to make so much," He had done it yet again. That was a hardy plate and it was filled to the brim with food. It was a small act of kindness that reminded me that he wasn't always fixated on doing his job. "Thank you so much." I bowed my head.

"But," I began to say.

"But?" Ray echoed.

"I couldn't possibly eat all of this by myself. I insist you stay and have breakfast with me today!"

Ray looked back at the doorway and then back to me. "Well, I could spare a small break."

Surprisingly, he listened to my small request and sat down with me in the morning. It was actually... pleasant. Ray had bags underneath his eyes - These were trademarks of his character that I doubted would leave. It was something I knew would not leave him so easily. I, too, had remnants of purple underneath my own eyes. I had poor sleeping habits out of nature. He had poor habits from his job.

He relaxed the moment he sat down and had a bite full of actual food. He didn't say much at first - the conversation was one-sided on my end, but he carefully hung against every word that I said.

"And then I had to rush the rest of that week because the script changed last minute and they needed a revised illustration for that book! I mean, I was compensated after all of it, but I looked like I walked through a paintball field when it was over." I was just telling him about my work - the easiest thing to talk about when it came to topics and he didn't seem to mind.

"I love my job but it's hard when they throw a curveball like that. I do stuff like that because I need money but my real passion is in the stuff I create for myself personally and for no one else. You can tell a lot about someone by what they pour themselves into."

"You sound like you really love what you do though," He finally said. "Your eyes light up when you talk about it... just like the other night in the garden."

"I haven't felt motivated lately if I'm totally honest with you. I just picked up my sketchbook the other day for the first time in a while."

My eyes darted to the small bound book and his did right offer. "What's this? Oh. This must be your work. Can I... Do you mind if I take a look?"

I shook my head. "Go ahead, we're friends, I'm okay with that."

He lifted the sketchbook up and gently flipped through the papers with an intriguing look on his face. "Oh! I didn't think I might ever get to see some of your work. You're so... I like what you do and... These are... You drew the flowers I got you." He realized when he stopped on a page.

My face felt hot. People giving me compliments always confused me. I didn't know if they were just saying it to make me feel better or if they really meant what they were saying when they did. "Yes. I told you, I'm inspired by nature. I always do stuff like this when I want to feel better."

He reached out and took hold of my hand. "I'm so happy that I could give you something that inspires you. My chest... feels heavy at the thought. You could do wondrous things here like this - and I would make sure of it. If you stayed a little longer when the game is done then I would be happy." Ray began to say. "You should give some thought into considering the contract to become an official member here at this place."

The praise sank like the Titanic. He had seemed like he was coming out and away from the conversation of this place before something derailed in his mind - and he found himself twisting it back into that. If he noticed how my face dropped - he didn't say.

"Oh. But let's not spoil the mood, could you tell me more about your work?"

Hours would pass before we would talk again.

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray:** Lila...!

 **Wisteria:** Huh..? Oh, Ray, you're back.

 **Ray:** Yeah. I wanted to see you. Actually... I'm not doing so well right now... CRY EMOJI This headache is just killing me and my meds won't work either.

 **Wisteria:** Does it hurt a lot? I'm worried about you.

 **Ray** : Yeah... this headache comes and goes once in a while... Is this a side effect of thinking of thinking too much...? My body has probably grown used to the painkiller. I've been taking it as much as my daily meal. Or... It is because my willpower isn't strong enough?

 **Ray:** Lila, I hope you'll tell me if you're sick... I'd hate and rather die to see you going through the same pain I did. CRY EMOJI

He had grown dependent on the drug that Rika was giving him.

If he didn't take if as much as his body was used to, it would make him have withdrawal symptoms. I knew that was what he was experiencing. That pain wasn't something I had ever felt... but I knew that firsthand, it could destroy someone if they weren't careful. If they kept losing their mind and body to drugs that they would become someone they never were.

I hated to think that Ray was going through what... no. He wasn't like him. My Father dug his own grave willingly. Ray didn't deserve to be feeling this pain.

 **Wisteria:** I would.

 **Ray:** Yes, I know better than anyone else what it's like to be sick. You've seen the log right? Looks like AI 707 found my trace, and he's apparently investigating like a madman...

 **Wisteria:** Yes. He made it sound like you're... a threat to the RFA, Ray.

 **Ray:** hahaha I'm the developer and controller of the game. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** Those AIs have no idea that they are running all in circles in the palm of my hand. So that's probably why they sound like that. They're complete idiots... But no need to mind them! This is all just a bug that arises because I made them too realistic. One day... I'm gonna fix all those bugs.

 **Ray:** V logged in a moment ago, didn't he? I see he's trying to gain your trust and use you to find out what he wants again... when he's still hiding loads of things from you, Isn't that how you feel?

 **Wisteria:** I don't think he's a bad person, Ray. He just seems unsure.

 **Ray:** I set him to speak in a kind manner... so that's probably why he seems kind. I programmed him like that on purpose. While I was making a variety of characters. So he's actually not a kind person.

 **Ray:** So don't let him get to you, Lila... So I'm starting to get a little annoyed... My head is trying to kill me, and those AIs are also acting like idiots... SIGH EMOJI

 **Ray:** Huh, I'm the developer of the game, but I'm annoyed by my own game... Perhaps you wouldn't like that!

 **Wisteria:** ...Who you think is the least favorable then, Ray?

 **Ray:** I think Jumin is the least unfavorable one among the RFA AIs. Though it bothers me a little that he's friends with V. Jumin is running a gigantic company... so his analytic and calm way of thinking will be of great help to us in the future?

 **Wisteria:** Us?

 **Ray:** Oh.

 **Ray:** I mean... he'll be useful in my research in analyzing the data. HE's the type of the AI that's easy to draw out the patterns, so he'd be good for research... ^^;; Anyways, watch out for V, Lila.

 **Ray:** It bothers me that he's trying to dig information out of you. If you trust him and do as he tells you... He'll eventually betray you and lead you to do a bad ending... I'd hate to see you sad with the game suddenly over in the middle...

 **Wisteria:** There's always a restart... right? I mean, that's the whole point in a game. It has a start and an end that can be repeated.

 **Ray:** But it'd be so sad if the data is all gone... you devoted all your time and heart to them... but they'll forget you... Since you started playing... you should have a happy ending.

 **Wisteria:** That's a good point, I guess. But I'm sure there's plenty of other settings they'll be to test after this, right? So... I'll be here for a while.

 **Ray:** I hope you'd continue staying here if possible. I'll be able to do that if you agree. Did you think about what I asked of you this morning? About that contract... that will let you stay here.

 **Wisteria: ...** And the benefits that come from that are, what, exactly?

 **Ray:** You're free to roam wherever you want in this place and you'll be able to take part in what we do to make someone happy. I really... really want to stay here with you. Forever on and on.

 **Ray:** Could you give it a thought... by this evening...?

 **Wisteria:** I'll think about it.

 **Ray:** Actually, there is an AI that's even worse than that guy V. We already talked about this, so perhaps you already realized who it is.

 **Wisteria:** By my assumption and what I've heard from you, I would say 707.

 **Ray:** That's right...! I knew you would feel the same. I'm so glad... 707 is the worse AI... 707 is a monster... He's incapable of feeling sorrow. He was programmed entirely different from me. QUIET EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** If you didn't like him so much, you could have just... removed him from the equation, he's just a character, remember?

 **Ray:**...I wish. I wish I could do that right now. When I think of all the trouble the AIs have made... But I'm going to wait. I'm going to wait until l I come up with a plan to get rid of him in the perfect possible way.

 **Ray:** Though it's kind of sad... but then my headache will get better. Yes, that's right! I've got an idea. Lila, do you like surprises? HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** I'm the administrator of this game so I can control the situations for the AIs whenever I want. It's a kit for surprise events. I am the creator of that game so I can insert whatever information I want.

 **Wisteria:** That means more work for you, Ray. You know I don't want you to push yourself.

 **Ray:** It is, but I'd like to keep you entertained! But the details are secret!

 **Ray:** You'll get to see a very surprising event related to the 707 AI ^^ I'll make sure you won't get bored... Not for the AIs but for this game I made... I hope you'll continue to stay by my side. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** You know games like these are only great when you can hold good relationships with the AIs...?

 **Ray:** Yeah... that's the irony. QUIET EMOJI

 **Ray:** You'll have to get close to them to find out what they're hiding... But... I hope you won't get too attached to them. Oh... I think I gotta go now, Lila. My painkiller sees to have arrived.

 **Ray:** But I feel a little better... Maybe it's because I told my heart to you? You said that's what friends do for each other. We confide our feelings to one another to get closer - and to feel better.

 **Wisteria:** Are you sure you're going to be alright? If you're already feeling unwell you should take a break and not think too hard. I'm worried.

 **Ray:** Keep me in your thoughts. Please. I feel that I'll get better in no time thanks to your energy. I'll get going now. Don't forget - be careful of the bad ending, alright?

 **Wisteria** : Don't worry ;;

 **Ray:** Bye, my Lila.

* * *

Chaos. Seven was in a frenzy because he had gotten an email that he didn't expect and couldn't trace it down. It was chaotic at his place and there wasn't much that could do to quell it. It was something from this place. Something that Ray must have sent him that contained information or a threat that he couldn't ignore. It made my stomach swell with panic.

I had been broken from my phone and had to answer the knock at the door.

"It's me, Ray. Can I come in?"

"Sure," I called back to him before I could reach the door.

Ray entered the room with a pleased expression. His hair was disheveled and he looked like he was out of breath.

He was the cause of the chaos, I knew now for sure. He laughed away the breath that he had once been panting. "Hehe... You look like you just saw what happened just now in that chatroom. I ran all this way here in case you missed it. They must be going crazy finding out who did it. I didn't expect them... to be so skittish. They can't find me... my algorithms' perfect!"

"They feel like actual people responding to a grave incident, Ray. They feel realistic right now, and that's more than usual. What exactly did you send them that it spiraled into this?" I asked him.

"Hehe... I sent AI 707... pieces of his past that he longs to forget. I just couldn't watch him enjoying his life all by himself.. freed from his gruesome past. I knew I should've studied hard every day..." A very brief laugh escaped him. "Now I can bend and break those AIs however I want! Lila, you gotta have unfathomable twists and turns to make your life interesting. Don't you agree? The dark secrets reveal themselves, and your secret sweetheart suddenly tells you how he feels..!"

When I remembered where I was and what I was doing right now, I longed for every day that I had back at my home.

I knew what was coming and I didn't need to hesitate before taking a step forward because I knew that I would be okay.

It wasn't a lie when I told him: "I long for normalcy every day, to be honest..."

"I did too... I wished life would continue and run peacefully so that I can see how it would turn and flow. But my environment would jerk and spin regardless of my will... like how tomorrow you can't tell whether you would yell at you or give you a candy. That way... That's why I decided to change myself enormously... to the point others can't predict." He clenched his fists tight.

"Because I was told that I can never have what I want... that I'll be the only one to get hurt if I do nothing." Ray took a step forward and I took a shallow step back. He didn't notice.

He took another step, another, and another. "So... Lila, I don't want to treat you so timidly. Of course, I'm a little shy... but I want to fix that. I want to be more daring to you... bolder. Because then I'd be able to stay here longer with you...! If you decide to stay here... I'll be much bolder and exciting." He reached out and took hold of my shoulders.

"I'll try my best to be a person who can keep you entertained and make you happy! I promise. You know what...? I didn't even know how to use the computer until a few years ago but I worked really hard and I made this much progress! Once it gets dark, you'll make a contract to be our official member. I'll get everything ready... alright?" Ray didn't allow me to get in a word edgewise for a while, I tried to speak my mind but he kept talking and telling me what he wanted to.

I opened my mouth to speak and say something but he didn't hear me. "Wait- I'm not so sure about that..."

"Hm..? What's that? I didn't catch it... Wait, there's no time to lose, I should get ready now!" Ray ran out of the room with my eyes following his retreating figure.


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

SIX

"Dead End."

* * *

There was a weight in my chest as I sat there in this room.

Ray was preparing for a ceremony.

There was no way out of Mint Eye, out of Magenta. I wasn't getting out of here alone tonight and there was no way that I was going to be able to leave with just Ray at this rate. I just wished I was on the other side of my phone screen - back home, playing a game and finishing the painting that I had promised my sister I would finish and bring to her in person.

That canvas was sitting on the table of my apartment right now and it wouldn't be going anywhere.

I spiraled downwards after that moment and just laid my head against the cool floor and tried to shut everything out for the longest time. My phone vibrated and buzzed in my hand. Who would that be? Ray? My thoughts were broken as I picked my phone without checking the name. Seven's voice came through the other line. "Hey, it's me. What are you doing? Oh, right. It's almost dinner time. Did you eat dinner?" He asked.

My knees were close to my chest as I held myself together in a makeshift fetal position. There was a lot going on this afternoon and I wasn't sure it was going well for Seven either at this rate.

The fact that he had called me at all right now blew my mind.

I still wasn't sure what Ray had sent him that had rattled him so hard.

Could it have been about him...?

Maybe their shared and checkered past? There were many things that I thought could leave Seven in a frenzy and nothing would ever prove to be enough to make him frantic. I grimaced. Maybe he was just calling so he wouldn't have to think about it. I braced myself for a conversation and drew in a very shaken breath of air into my lungs. "I had this and that. What about you, Seven?" I said. My voice sounding almost normal compared to how it once was but still sounded broken.

It was a lie but I wasn't going to say.

Seven hummed. "Good to know you're eating. I didn't eat yet... I don't feel like eating if I'm honest.. and I have this craving for ice cream today. I've always liked ice creams. Take a bite, and your mouth is full of sweetness. You feel better once you eat it. Popsicle, ice cream on the cone... I ate all kinds of ice creams. And what kind of ice cream do you like? Popsicle? Cone?"

I frowned. He had even poorer habits than his little brother had developed. It wasn't my place to scold him though, not right now at least. "To be honest... I just like to eat them straight from the half-gallon tub or pint-sized, especially if I'm upset. That's a little silly but hey," I mumbled. "But I figure everyone has a favorite."

"Oh, well, that says something about you. I prefer the straight soft serve. It melts away on your tongue as you're eating it. You know, I feel like I'm in a whole new world when I'm eating ice cream. Perhaps ice cream paralyzes this part in the brain that nums the senses since it's way too sweet. But I don't know the details... It's just a theory. When I was young, I used to laugh whenever I had ice cream, no matter how hard I cried before that. By the way, when I was young, I used to eat this cream that you split in half... The one you can share with your friend, you know? That was my favorite."

I hesitated for a moment then asked. "Well, who did you share it with?"

"A person most precious to me. A person I miss so much in the entire world... Who is that person...? It's a secret. Phew. My head is full of thoughts. You know, for some reason I talk about a bunch of things on my mind when I'm with you. I heard there was this class for being a good listener... You didn't take that class did you?" He sounded tired, so very tired, Seven would never be able to forget his past and his little brother and the pain he was going through.

My heart went out to him.

The person he was wishing for was out there.

He was right here... and he couldn't know.

Something about Seven just made it easy to talk and easy to listen to. His persona was only half of the person that he really was - I knew he had a good heart and he just wanted to protect his precious people but knowing that this boy wasn't alright but I think he needed a real distraction from his pain and memories. "No... But I do have an older sister who always got herself into some trouble and I was the one to talk her through it, though, I think most people would expect that it would have been the other way around... It wasn't like that though. She's one of those precious people, but she's no secret." I couldn't stop the weak laugh that escaped my lips.

"I haven't seen my sister in a while, I mean, we've talked on the phone but I had kind of... I mean, something had happened a couple of months ago and I haven't seen her in person since. I don't know, but you, you kind of remind me of her - Oh whoops, I hope that didn't sound weird."

I missed my sister so much right now. I had no way of talking to her anymore and we always talked at least once a day. I, too, was separated from someone that I loved and confided in with my pain. She wasn't in this universe... I was here by myself. In some ways, I understood the pain that Seven was feeling for his brother. It really did feel like the separation was beyond space and time. I couldn't imagine how he must have felt on the daily... he was upset in his route, for sure, but we only saw some extent of his pain. His outward persona had always reminded me of my sister, ever since I started playing the game back home. Goofy and a quick humor on the surface - pain, and grief underneath it that wouldn't be dealt with.

Seven was quiet on the other line of the phone.

He was breathing softly. "Ugh, this won't do... I think I'll end up saying something I shouldn't. I'm hanging up now. I'll see you after I cool down a bit."

* * *

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** Wisteria...! Thank goodness. HAPPY EMOJI You're here.

 **Wisteria:** You wanted to see me, V?

 **V:** Yes. There was something that I wanted to ask you. Do you have any important appointment this evening?

 **Wisteria:** Yes... There's a decision that's been given to me and I have to make up my mind. How did you know?

 **V:** Important decision...? I see. If it's important, you should be prudent. So that you wouldn't regret it later. In a few more hours it'd be five days since you joined us... How's your preparation going?

 **Wisteria:** I feel like I should be working harder, honestly, like I'm not doing enough that I could be.

 **V:** I'll recommend you, potential guests. if I find any people you might be interested in. I'm sorry that I'm the least active participant in this... SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **V:** Nothing has been settled regarding the party, including the date. I'm sure you were nervous since this is your first RFA party. I'm sorry. I'm checking the security and taking into consideration various circumstances so my announcement is being delayed. But that's because I value the RFA so much. I want to check twice and thrice.

 **V:** Since I'm the head of the association. I can't stop thinking about the party and the members. You have no idea how precious the RFA is to me...

 **Wisteria:** It's clear to me how much you value the RFA. They're a second family to you, right? The people you choose to keep around are usually the ones you value the most. I understand. Don't worry. ^^

 **V:** Thank you... Wisteria. Due to circumstances, I thought it would be hard for you to trust me. Thank you so much for saying that.

 **V:** Something bad happened to Luciel today... He's trying to pretend that he's okay in the messenger... because he also has secrets to keep. But there's someone trying to hurt him using that secret. So my heart is breaking into pieces.

 **Wisteria:** It hurts a lot to see him in pain.

 **V:** Thank you for understanding 's also important to me that none of the. members get hurt.

 **V:** Luciel, the rest... and you too. I'm especially concerned for you, Wisteria. You literally found yourself thrown into a messenger with a bunch of strangers. I believe you'll be nervous. So that's why In case something bad happens to you I'll protect you.

 **Wisteria:** Thank you, V.

 **V:** If something bad happens, I trust in you, Wisteria. You're a good person... I've never met you for real and we didn't even get to talk a lot but I can tell that you've come to us with an innocent intention.

 **Wisteria:** I want nothing but good for the RFA.

 **V:** I knew you'd say that! HAPPY EMOJI

 **V:** Because I can feel that from you as you write outside this chatroom... Actually... That's why I'm even more worried. I'm worried what happened to Luciel might happen to you too.

 **Wisteria:** I promise I'll be cautious... This evening is making me a little nervous.

 **V:** Yes...! That's what I wanted to tell you.

 **V:** Do take a look around. If anything looks suspicious... call me. I'm worried someone bad would exploit your innocent heart.S o I'm worried even now that you might be under someone's exploitation. I hope my heart can reach you, Wisteria. I'm worried about you and I trust you. I hope the hearts of the other members could also reach you. WINK EMOJI

 **V:** Oh, dear. Looks like I've spoken nothing but concerns. Actually, I have good news. The date for the party has been set.

 **Wisteria:** When is it?

 **V:** The party will be held next week. A week from today.

 **Wisteria:** That's very soon-! Will I be able to manage the preparations that soon, I wonder?

 **V:** Actually... I'm kind of counting the member's competence. But this party will be small. Although it'll be small I believe we'll be able to host a party good enough... if we work together for a week.

 **V:** Oh... Hang on... I think I need to go.

 **Wisteria:** It was nice to talk to you again.

 **V:** Agreed. HAPPY EMOJI Let's work hard until the deadline. And... do let me know if you notice anything suspicious Wisteria I hope your heart heads towards the path same as our's... That's what my heart always wishes for. Excuse me.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray:** Lila! I've been waiting for this moment.

 **Wisteria:** You're here.

 **Ray:** Thank for your patience.. ^^ Now it's time to make the contract to become our official resident... Have you given a thought about it...?

 **Wisteria:** ...I haven't made my decision yet.

 **Ray:** I heard that taking a little walk is good for you if you have too many thoughts. I'm constantly haunted by my anxiety attacks whenever I curl up in silence... So I tend to move around a lot. I even force myself to move if I have to ^^ HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** Make your contract, and we'll be able to walk every day! Listen, Lila. You know what? I heard that the thought that lasts just before you fall asleep determines how you feel the next day. I'm reminded of the person I hate the most before I fall asleep. And that thought tortures me even till the next morning... to the point, I don't want to open my eyes. CRY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** That must feel awful, Ray. You shouldn't focus so hard like that if it makes you upset.

 **Ray:** Yes, it is. It's so horrible that I wake up to find myself depressed and painful every time... But I hope that's not the case for you.

 **Ray:** I want to make you fall asleep every night with happy thoughts once you start living here. Because... I've actually fallen for you.

 **Wisteria:** This is very sudden, Ray - I don't

 **Wisteria:** I don't know what to say. Do you even know what that feels like...?

 **Ray:** Oh, I'm terribly sorry if I was rushing... I'll be nice and slow. But I'd really like you to make your contract tonight...! Lila...You're not gonna betray me, are you? I hope you won't trust those AIs more than me, for example... I hope such a sad thing won't happen...

 **Wisteria:** I won't betray you. I promised. We're friends.

 **Ray:** You have no idea how glad I am whenever you tell me that. Please keep our promise, Lila. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Ray:** Throughout my life, all of the people who betrayed were unwelcome and uninvited guests... But you're not one of those people, Lila... You came here for chose to. So... now I can hope, right? I can hope that you're nothing like those who betrayed me... right?

 **Wisteria:** I think you should trust in yourself more than be expecting me to trust you to boost your confidence.

 **Ray:** Trust me...?

QUIET EMOJI

 **Ray:** I don't think I can... do that yet. I'm not sure if I'm good at anything other than computers... But I feel like I'm a fantastic person if I think that you like me! Do you know what I think every day? I want you to be by my side... I want you to give me all of your sadness and pain...

 **Ray:** I want to stay here forever with you...

 **Ray:** If you stay here... I want to protect you... from everything bad. From morning when you wake up right until you fall asleep...I want to protect you. I really want to protect you...

Do you understand how I feel?

 **Wisteria:** Why does it feel like you sound sad when you're saying this...?

 **Ray:** Oh. QUIET EMOJI

 **Ray:** I knew it. You can also see how pathetic I am on the inside... But I... I'll try to better person. I'll try to be a better person. I'll try much harder to become a braver person...!I wish you stay with me... I'll come for you now... Tell me your choice, Lila.

 **Wisteria: ...** I'll think about it.

 **Ray:** Okay... I'm coming for you...!

* * *

"Hi, Lila. There seems to be a lot going on in your head... I'm already done with all preparations. You only need to choose, Lila. Will you please stay with me forever and on?" Ray left no room to say anything but my answer to his question.

He was looking at me expectantly- to tell him what I wanted- likely the answer he wanted wasn't the one that I had in mind. "No, thanks," I told him. "I like hanging out with you and playing your game but I do have a life outside of this. I'm not against still coming to see you though." I did... It may not have been here but I did have a life.

"Ah... I see. If that's what you wish. But I worked so hard to make my preparations. So... could you at least take a look at what I have to offer for you? Please? There's something I want to show you - to you only. Could you please come over here for a moment?" Ray was taking this surprisingly well - a lot better then he should have for that matter. I was eyeing him unsure of his plans. He didn't seem to have ill intent. I decided to give him a chance - I approached him with a few short steps. "Well... alright. What is it? What are you trying to do?"

"My savior told me... that sometimes we must force salvation." Ray grabbed my wrist.

"Excuse me?" I said, moving to release my hand from his but his grip tightened on me.

Ray gave me one look and said. "Follow me." He began to lead me out of my room and down the hallway.

"W-where are we going?" I demanded of him.

"It's where I'm always working. I've never shown it to you, have I? Don't be scared."

* * *

"Welcome to my room!"

"There are a lot more computers then I expected..." I blurted. It was the only thing that could pop into my head at that moment. Any CG image didn't give this environment the justice that it deserved. There were at least a dozen monitors in here and I could only assume Seven's rivaled this set-up given what I could gauge from my memory. It definitely out-weighed my set-up at home by leagues; I only worked from two desktop monitors to draw digitally when I wasn't on actual canvas.

I shook the shock away and looked back over at Ray. "This is... It's impressive."

"Yes... This is where I develop the game you're testing and collect information on it. There's no need for a signature for this contract. You only have to take a special elixir developed here at this place.. as a promise that you'll stay here." He couldn't possibly be thinking he was going to do what I thought - what he had been feeding me all day from the chatroom from an arm's length - Ray was talking about the product that Rika used to control and shame others with the drop of liquid drug.

My legs wouldn't budge and I knew the best option was to run. "Ray?"

"Yes... I worked hard to prepare it for today. Close your eyes..."

I was staring at him and he was staring at me.

There was nowhere to go - so I had no choice but to hear him out from this point onwards. I shut my eyes. The darkness was comfortable for once in my life - the unknown felt much safer to me than this place - these feelings - my thoughts - this boy looking at me like he was - how expectant he was - the reality of it. "On a count of three, open your eyes. Did you get it? One... two... Three! Here, look...!"

A bottle. This was a bottle that contained something - something wrong. My stomach was in my throat again because it was a bottle whose contents I couldn't distinguish. It shimmered in the artificial light from the monitors - unnatural and foreboding. "This is the-" it wouldn't come out of my mouth. That word. The word that said what this was. Ray explained to me what it was. "This place develops medicine as well. This elixir will make you happy. You prove you belong here by taking this elixir. Then you can officially become a resident of this place. You can stay here with me forever."

I swallowed, it was dry and sharp. "Do you really believe in that, Ray? Do you really think that..."

"There's no way I would make you sad Lila... all I wish for is your happiness. You can become happy... and get a glimpse of what paradise is like... if you take this elixir. You'll get to realize what true happiness is little by little!" Ray was spilling lies that Rika had filled his head with... but he genuinely sounded like he believed every single word. He made it seem like it was the greatest thing in the world.

Stall him. Stall him as much as you can. "You're not telling me to drink this, are you?" I clarified.

"Uh... The contract to stay here made complete only when you drink it. You don't want to...? You put your faith into me and came all the way here. Can't you trust me one more time? I only wish to make you happy. Didn't you enjoy staying here with me? You played my game for me, and you talked and chatted with me... and you made happy memories for me. I think we were able to form such a connection... because we're similar in some ways. I thought I could see... all of the anxiety, sadness, and loneliness inside of you," Ray was soft, gentle even, he reached out with these words and made my head spin through the crumbling panic.

"And that's why I want to make you happier. I do not want you to feel... any of the pains or woes I've suffered. You'll get to experience much more entertaining things than that game, if you drink this. Drink this and open your eyes tomorrow morning, and your world will be filled with happiness. I'll be there for you if you're scared. You're not alone. So Lila... Don't you let anxiety and fear get you, too." Ray continued with a smile. He really thought this was going to save me - save him - that this place was truly a paradise for all. This was the part of Ray that I had been ignoring - I had been pushing to the side because it didn't seem like he would go to this point.

I didn't make a move. I didn't make a sound. I was filled with nothing but terror.

Ray didn't press any harder than his tone. His hands encasing my own from underneath - the smallest touch just enough to remind me that this was happening. "You're afraid... I know how you feel. You're anxious and scared because you don't know what will happen to you... It's okay. No need to hesitate. I'll stay by your side. I've always been alone... but you're not alone. And I'll no longer be alone as well... once you drink this. Because you'll be my companion as well. Now, drink it, Lila. It smells sweet, doesn't it? I invite you to paradise."

The room was quiet.

This silence wasn't going to last but that moment felt like it lasted far longer than just a second - minutes could feel like they were passing and my mind was reeling and my heart rate was threatening to accelerate within me. Just me and him here, just him and me in this room with only one door. There was nothing but the sounds of our breathing and the thumping in my chest beginning to increase.

"I..."

All of a sudden, there was knocking at the door.

"Who is it at this... important moment? I thought I told everyone to stay away from this place. Wait, perhaps she's looking for me... Give me a moment, Lila." Ray grunted. His eyes hardened on the door across the room. His feet collided with the ground as he went to check out who it was. A cloaked figure stood there at the door and walked in. "What is it?"

"We have a problem with the server room. This is an emergency." The figure said.

Wait a moment. That voice seems familiar. Ray made a disapproving sound as if he was irritated that something was wrong. His eyes had turned away from me for a moment. He sighed at this, then looked the figure up and down. "What? Of all times... Hang on. I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"The savior is also there. You must go now, Mr. Ray." He said. He urged Ray to leave - the tone of his voice was direct - he was trying to get him to go now, but Ray wasn't budging. I knew this man. I knew who was underneath those robes. Ray paused as if he were searching his memory for this guy. "Wait, this voice... I've heard this voice before." He concluded. He couldn't find what he wanted yet. He shouldn't find it if what I believed was true.

I cut in as quickly as I could; the feeling in my stomach told me that this figure was somebody I could trust - someone that knew things that I did not - a man who could do something in this situation if he did the right thing. I shook my head. "Hey, this isn't the time to be suspicious, is it Ray? You should hurry up and go if it's that bad."

"Uh... I should but before that. Just who are you? Take off your hood..."

"Very well. Just a moment, please." Instead of moving to remove his hood - the figure paused mid-motion to lifting his hand and giving a hardy shove to Ray out of nowhere. Ray staggered a few steps backward but didn't stumble onto the floor just lost his footing for a moment. "Wisteria! You shouldn't drink that thing!" The mysterious man called out to me - my eyes snapping to attention to the man- the sudden motion left everyone in the room at a standstill for a brief moment as Ray composed himself and this morphed into a ceremony into something else; it was a stand-off between the two of them.

"You...!" Ray cried as he made a move towards the man but it was quickly deflected once again by him - the bottle that once rested underneath my fingertips was smashed into the ground when Ray was pushed once more before he could do anything to keep him at bay. "N-no! The bottle broke...!"

I looked at the two of them rapidly and then my eyes settled on the mysterious figure in the room. The mint hair peeking out from underneath the hood was a dead giveaway now - I almost choked on the air that I breathed in. "Oh, my God."

The hood fell from his head in one false swoop and it was V. He appeared frazzled and unsure of himself, but it was him. "It's V, Jihyun! This way! We must get out of here now!" The fact that I was seeing V in person was enough to stop my thoughts. My feet still wouldn't budge from their spot but I was looking at him, wide-eyed. it wasn't like I had never seen V ever - but V here at Mint Eye right now wasn't a variable I expected to ever believe - even if my mind had been playing tricks on me this whole time.

My lingering feelings hadn't been wrong this whole time! I had been too scared to ask him over the phone where he was - in the off-chance that something bad would happen to him - because God knows when they wanted to listen to any of the phone calls that I had with the members of the RFA. The thought of escape had far left my mind now. There was so much going on - I couldn't breathe - spiralling. My voice was betraying my body - speaking out without thinking again. "V, how are you even here right now? What the hell is going on?!"

"What are you saying? This isn't the time to discuss anything! Over here, fast!" V gestured for me to come to his side of the room but I couldn't move. There wasn't much time - because Ray was visibly upset at the sight of V - he was shaking with what I could only assume was a combination of fear and anger, fear, and anger. His fists were hard at his side the whole time - once he had forgotten about the ruined elixir against the ground - he realized that V was still here and this was real. Ray shrieked at him with all that he had. "...No! You can't take her away from me! Traitor! Why is that traitor in this building"

He was loud. It was enough to draw attention from the others - one believer stood in the door frame after hearing the commotion in the room from down the hall. "Mr. Ray? What is it!?"

"Traitor..." He began to say, "It's the traitor! This is the man we've been looking for! We have a traitor here!" Ray snapped his head in the direction of a voice that he didn't hate. "Intruder! We have an intruder!" The believer was calling out to members that were nearby. Claps and stomps of footsteps were starting to come over this way - if anyone wanted to run there wasn't enough time. There just wasn't enough time and there were too many people here. No way out - No way out for anyone.

"We're getting out of here. This way!" V urged me, once again.

"Stop him! Don't let him take her away...! No. Not her. Don't take her away from me. No!" Ray cried. I could feel my body. I had to move. I had to go. I started to make a step forward - when I found the use of my legs, there was no time left to consider the options laid in front of me. Ray held me back with a firm hand on my arm - He was just strong enough to keep me from getting away - the moment I went to pull away again, he pulled me back to him - back into his embrace. "Not her! Not a chance!"

This was it for V. "Damn! Looks like we can't escape together... More people are coming. Don't let them trick you, Wisteria. I'll save you no matter what!" V cursed, a baited promise that he couldn't fulfill. The situation was out of hand, there was no way anybody was getting away. There were heavy footsteps coming down the hall and they were getting closer and closer.

From behind me, Ray yelled at him. "Don't give that rubbish to Lila! You're the one tricking her...!"

V looked at the doorway where they were almost here. The believers were almost on top of us again. He took in a deep breath and promised again. "I'll come back later. Until then, please be safe, Wisteria...!"

"There is no later... Don't you dare try to take Lila away from me... I won't let you even get close to her!"

"Don't ever take the drug they give you at this place... And don't take anything that looks suspicious. I'll come back for you. I'm sorry we can't escape together as of now..." V left me with a promise as he shoved past a few believers and made a break for it. I could only hope that V could find his way out of Mint Eye before they caught up with him and took him to Rika - she would already try to blind him at some point soon if she had not already - who knows what she would do to him if they had him now. The believers had made it back here in no time - I had no way of knowing that V would make it to safety with the footsteps began to retreat from us - I could have cared less for my own safety at that moment.

"Protect Mr. Ray!" One said from the door.

"Understood!" Another agreed.

Ray didn't like that noise. "Don't worry about me, and get him! He's the traitor...! The one our savior was looking for...!" Ray told them as he loosened some of his grip on my arm - it was still firm.

"Mr. Ray! Should we go after him?" One asked.

Ray nodded. "Yes. You must get him no matter what and we must take him to the savior! Then we can finally find peace... Then I can keep Lila safe." His voice was low once again. He wasn't shouting - no more yelling and screaming of orders - just firm.

"Understood!" The few at door headed to join the others that were in hot pursuit of V across the building. That left just Ray and me in the room, we were left alone once again.

"Huff... I shouldn't have opened the door. Why now...? Of all times, why now...?" Ray lamented to himself. It was just him and I. This room contained only the both of us once again. I spun around to look him in the face, surprised at the strength I was now holding in my very being. Be it the talk that I had with Seven earlier that revitalized my belief in the thought that I needed to make things right or something else. We needed to clear the air. I needed to think before I collapsed. "The RFA. They're real people, Ray," I said. "You hacked their messenger."

"I didn't have a choice. The savior told me that this is what I should tell you to bring you here... They told me that I had to lie to you to make sure you came and..." He lifted his head up just enough to catch sight of me. His eyes flickered up and down for a moment as he looked for something but didn't find it. "Lila, are you hurt? Ah... Thank heavens, you're okay. But... the bottle broke. It was for you... Everything's ruined... Why do things like happen when happiness is just within my grasp? I only wished to make you happy... I only wished to be happy with you." He covered his face with his hand, somehow ashamed of himself- Ray couldn't look at me.

You did what you had to do for that woman because you were scared.

"Ray. You could've just been honest with me." Would I have listened if he was honest from the start? Could I have found myself in this place if he told me his real intentions? I didn't even know what his intents were - if they were truly the same as Rika, as this self-proclaimed savior in Paradise. The only thing that I knew was that Ray was more than meet's the eyes. There was so much more to him than what was the surface. But, this feeling... I let him get so close to me because he was so... kind. Where was that in all of this? Where was he missing?

Ray lifted himself up - uneven but solid stance with his legs against the ground. "So you're not going to trust me anymore? Now RFA is the good guys for you instead of me...? The savior told me that I had to do that to make everything go smooth... I'm sorry for lying to you. But please don't doubt me... Please. Just... rest for the night. I should go report this to the savior."

"Who is your savior?" I whispered. I want to protect you from her. The solid methodical thought that I had.

"You'll soon get to see her in person... I don't want to leave you right now... I'm too anxious, and I'm so sad. But if I don't report to the savior, an even greater disaster might befall. Lila, can I trust you? No, No... I will trust you. I'll trust that you won't betray me."

"You aren't making sense right now, Ray! I do trust you!" In all honesty, I didn't know what to tell him - I knew the RFA were real along. I knew that he had lied about that. I wasn't angry that he lied to me about that - this whole place was a game of chess that Rika was playing and there was no way to control which pawns moved where when you couldn't guess her movements. V had been in this place all along. I hadn't imagined that.

There was no amount of me that was able to control what I was feeling at that moment. My breathing still uneven - but no gasps for air and dread just yet.

Ray broke my fog when he began speaking up again.

"I'm sorry... I'm just too nervous, so even I don't know what I'm saying. Why can't I be better? I want to give you a definite answer so that I can make you feel safe... but it's so difficult. I must go to the savior. She'll be able to give me the right answer. Just give me a moment, I'll be right back Lila. Don't think of anything sad... while I'm gone. I'll get going. I'll get my answers from the savior. I gotta get that villain too... I must do something before he comes for again. No matter what...! I'll keep you safe. So stay here. Don't go anywhere. You must stay here... until I'm back, Lila."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

marshmallowprotection is my tumblr account for Mystic Messenger, imagines and requests. If you want to follow that y'all can, if you want me to write you stuff or if you want to know more about me... or if you want to learn about Lila! We're about to diverge... things are going to change soon after this plot branch into Ray's official route...


	7. Chapter 7

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

SEVEN

"Revelation I."

* * *

The door shut behind him - behind Ray as he and the other Believers began to search for V and look for the saviour to inform her of his presence - my knees felt weak, they buckled and I sank to the ground.

I held my hand to my mouth, trying to stifle, to stop myself from making the noise that wanted to escape me. The severity of what almost happened had it not been for V was the first shred of panic to sink into my stomach. Ray had gotten so close. He had almost convinced me to do it. I almost lost myself in my feelings and my swelling fears.

I wanted to scream.

All this information.

All the chaos flying around the room.

All of these revelations surrounding me made me want to fall down, tumbling further and further into the rabbit hole into a wonderland that was free of this confusion.

There was so much going on in my head that I feared I might slip into the darkness and let it flood me with dread. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, and ten..." I counted off the top of my head - a deep breath filling my lungs and than escaping after the count.

A while passed before Ray returned to me. A half an hour, and in that time I had been escorted back to my room with two guards outside of it.

There was a panic attack in my gut just waiting to envelop me- but I couldn't let it swallow me whole. I counted numbers, letters, things that I knew that could keep my mind occupied for the night. The thing was, I had actually begun to calm down when there the door to the room open around one o'clock in the morning and I knew who it was coming in.

I didn't turn around a first but when he spoke my hand my heart compelled me to do otherwise.

He looked like he was more put-together then he had an hour prior. He wasn't upset anymore. His eyes weren't hard or filled with fear. I almost felt my lips curl into a smile to see him back to normal. He wasn't screaming or shouting. Be was just Ray. "Were you waiting for me, Lila...?"

My appearance was worse for wear but he didn't even flinch as he saw me sitting there hugging myself tight into a ball for comfort. "I didn't expect you to be back so soon." I murmured.

Ray approached me without apprehension. He took my hand in his, it was so gentle compared to the tight grasp he had on me once before. His eyes on the connection between the two of us - our hands - rather than meeting my gaze.

"Now all you have to do is take the pledge to our contract. Then we stay here forever. It just feels like a dream. I can't believe it's actually come true... I knew it. Everything I believed in is right. I knew I wouldn't regret listening to savior. Savior told me that I can be useful if I work hard here at Mint Eye." He spoke so brightly of this woman, this person that had twisted him so wrong.

"When I was young, I was good for nothing. But now, Lila, I can entertain you at least for a moment. I'm... so happy. I'm so happy I'm not sure if this is real or not. I'm so happy to see you smiling. That's why I'm afraid it will all go away like a dream. This isn't a dream, is it? I'm not going to wake up to find myself alone in my cold, dark room with nothing but computers, am I?"

My breath was caught in my throat. "This isn't a dream. Trust me. This is real."

"I feel safe thanks to your warm hand. It assures me this is real. Please keep doing that. Hold onto me when I'm not sure what is happening." He begged of me, the desperate look in his eyes clear. "Lila... Like I told you before if you officially take the pledge according to the Mint Eye's rules, you're free to roam around this place."

He helped me back onto my feet. Ray turned his head away, "To take the pledge, you must go through a certain procedure - but that procedure might be painful... depending on the person. It was painful for me... Oh wait, why don't we talk somewhere else? I'm sure you were frustrated to stay locked in here this whole time. Let's look at the flowers and chat."

"A-Alright, Ray." I felt winded. Everything was a blur for me and I couldn't make sense of anything. There was so much that had happened and Ray was acting like it hadn't really just happened. He was denying everything that had just occurred.

If he spoke of it, would he crumble into pieces again?

His own lips curled into a smile. "There are lights in the garden to allow people to walk during the late night, as well, don't you know? This way, Lila." As he began to lead me out of the door and down the familiar corridors I almost thought I heard him whisper something to himself. "I don't want you to be in pain after drinking the elixir... like me."

"What was that?" I inquired.

"Oh. I'll tell you in the garden..."

* * *

"I want to come here with you during the day, but my work always takes too long. It usually ends when you would be asleep... You know, Lila, you've accepted me the way I am. You always have for the past few days. I've never had a chance to feel... what it's like to have someone accept me. So I've been thinking about it all day long. And I thought... you would trust me no matter what I tell you. Even if I tell you something that is completely out of the rules of the world you know... you'll trust me... wouldn't you? Lila... Will you believe me no matter what I tell you?"

He was looking at me expectantly.

I looked down at the pavement and counted the lines ahead of us. "I want to trust you. I really want to, Ray. I don't think you'll intentionally hurt me."

I wanted to believe that so badly but he had almost gotten me to drink that accursed liquid for him.

"If that's the case... I'll trust you too, Lila. I'll trust you more than anyone else... Lila, don't you wanna know what this place is? You're supposed to take a pledge after a special ceremony, but you also get a rundown on what this place is really about. And for the ceremony... you get to drink that specially made elixir for clean... I mean, for an orientation. Yes, that's it. And then you officially become one of us. But to some people, the sides effect is just too strong, so it could be painful." Ray paused.

"To be honest... I'm scared you'll be in pain after drinking the elixir, like me... If you're in pain, my heart will be in greater pain. We make people drink the elixir in order to show them the truth. Then they'll believe in us and become faithful followers. But you... You already trust me and believe in this place so much... even without the elixir. So I think you don't need the elixir or the orientation. But if someone asks you, you must tell them that you took the elixir, alright?" He trailed off.

Pain. All he knew was the pain that came from this medication he took. If someone asks me if I took it... I would tell them that I did. The words echoed through my mind. He wasn't going to force me to do it.

He wasn't going to make me do it.

Ray wasn't.

"Ray... Is it that painful when you take the elixir?" I gripped his hand tight

Flashes of him struggling against his brother after withdrawal symptoms popped into my mind. His obvious distress. His confusion... His anger. Him lashing out at everyone that he had once ever known. He fought against the RFA so viciously with a smirk on his face. Him being so upset at the sight of V that he... My mind blanked.

I couldn't see him like that now. That wasn't him.

"Yes. I think the side effect is really bad for me, personally. My head hurts, my heart throbs... It's so difficult to work while the elixir is in effect. So I used to take it a lot in the place, but now I take it only when I really, really need it." Ray admitted to me in his soft voice.

Dependency.

That was the word I would have said if I had the gall.

"Anyways, it's our secret that you didn't go through the orientation, okay?" He waited for the answer.

I slowly nodded my head.

"Remember what I told you before? I told you this place makes games. But honestly... there are more things going on in this place. One of our activities that is close to a game would be... Ah, yes. Providing delight to people tired of life, should I say? We do something fun and very meaningful at this place. The name for this place is Magenta. People here call this place Magenta, the paradise of dreams and hopes. Sounds like a world in the games, right?"

"This is where people wounded from the outside world gather. Magenta is the only place they can happy at. I, too... had a terrible wound when I first came here. But after the cleansing, I learned how to push behind the trauma of the past and step forward. And in the end, I was able to meet you. Everyone at the Magenta is like me. They ended up here like destiny with profound wounds and traumas. We all were born as the weaker in the world where only the fittest can survive and the stronger preys on the weaker." He said.

Ray looked upwards to the sky.

The night sky was clear - there wasn't a cloud in sight and the moon shown brightly down upon us while the stars twinkled in that familiar way that normally would have left me floundering to count them all... tonight I couldn't focus on the universe above us. I couldn't even bring myself to look at the flowers.

"Only the strong ones can survive in the outside world. Do you think those born weak should live as prey until death? This is the one and only place for such people. That's why we call this place Magenta the paradise. People from the outside world are completely different from us."

He sighed. "So I understand why they can't understand us. I was told that it's only logical - by their standards - that there are so many people who deny us. So that's why everyone has to live according to their rules. The strong ones live by their rules, and the weak live by theirs. And this is the rule we've chosen. Only those who follow our rules will get to join the Mint Eye and live here at Magenta. Each of us has a role in this place. And m role is to protect the Magenta and Mint Eye's belief from the strong ones from the outside world."

"So this means that - I'm a part of Mint Eye now?" I whispered, unevenly. The thought was enough to make me sick.

"Yes. You're supposed to take the elixir for the clean... I mean, orientation. But like I said, I trust you, and I'm sure you trust me... So you don't have to go through the procedure. And about the people... from that messenger, you're doing. I mean they RFA, they are real. And they're a threat to Mint Eye. The people from the RFA are actually existing people... Uh, but not all people of the RFA are dangerous."

"There are only two people who are dangerous there. They're the ones named V and 707... You should beware of them. Those two hurt me and savior even before the Mint Eye was created. We came to this place because we couldn't take the pain they gave us. I'll give you the details later... This story is very painful for me to remember." Now he was the one gripping my hand for moral support.

"You will be honest with me soon, right, the next time we speak of this you'll tell me? Because - because we're friends and we're going to help each other." I looked at him and he met my gaze only to look away.

He waited. He thought about those words for a moment and then told me his answer with baited breath. "Yes, I will. I want to tell you everything someday. The reason why I hacked the RFA chatroom was to protect this place and to save the members of the RFA. They're being tricked by V. You've seen V making secrets to the rest of the RFA, didn't you...? He's a liar. You should never trust him."

"At first, he pretended to save me... but that wasn't his plan. He was planning to throw me into the bottom of the abyss. I realized that only after suffering a near-death... I would have lost my will to live if it weren't for my savior. I don't know the rest of the RFA very well... but I kind of agree with my savior. I agree that any foolish soul who being exploited by V deserves salvation. That's why we decided to make an innocent person, a person who knows nothing about the RFA or Mint Eye, to contact them." Ray looked at me, his words clear.

He didn't need to confirm what I knew but he did it anyway.

"And that person is you, Lila. You had to move them in order to figure out how the RFA collects information and data. Thankfully, you've done so well, so the RFA decided to hold a party. And all the data related to the party, which is the core of the RFA, started to move. I'm so, so sorry I told you this is a game... to be honest, I had zero expectation on the tester. My savior told me multiple times... that since we're bringing someone outside of Magenta into this... We must not get our hopes up."

"My savior told me to never forget that people from the outside world like V and 707 can turn their backs on us and hurt us anytime. But Lila, I realized you're special. You're the type of person... who can be with us... Savior was right to listen to Mr. Claude when he mentioned you to us."

I was staring at him wide-eyed. "What did you just say?"

He just said my Dad's name. Ray just said his name. This was different than Ray knowing about my past. I almost didn't hear the rest of his words because I wasn't seeing him in front of me. I was seeing the visions of Rika behind the scenes and the ghostly image of my father not laying at the bottom of the ocean. "What do you mean he told you about me?"

Ray wasn't listening to me.

"I'm so glad I got to meet you. There was nothing but endless fight in my life... but now I have a haven called you. Lila... If you help me, just a bit more, we can save the RFA as well. Then don't you think I can live my life completely differently? You know... Life with more comfort. Don't you think that's possible for me? My savior told me that this fight wouldn't take forever. That this fight will come to an end... If I work hard, really hard. That day will come soon. So, Lila, please continue this game a little longer? Once you hold the party, my savior's and my goal will be completed. And after that..."

A voice cut off Ray before he could complete his thought. The voice was the same one as earlier in the evening when the chaos all started. "...So that was what she made you do."

Ray let go of my hand and took a step forward as he evaluated the area for the voice and who it belonged too. "Who's there?" He demanded through the night.

The voice spoke up once more. "Saeran... Lila, I've come to rescue you... but it appears I'm too late."

"You...? How come you're...? Ugh. I knew it. I knew it! I knew this wouldn't go well, No matter what I do, there will always be someone getting in my way. This happens all the time!" Ray cried out in frustration when the figure stepped out from the darkness and revealed himself.

It was V.

V hadn't taken the chance to run away. "Saeran... please calm down." He advised, his tone gentle.

"V..." I whispered.

V's attention was torn in my direction. "You remember my voice. I'm terribly sorry this is where we meet, Lila, was it? I figured that Wisteria wasn't your real name but I didn't have any hard evidence. I infiltrated this place determining that you're in danger... but I believe taking you out of this place at the given time is impossible. According to what I overheard... you already believe more in him then the RFA." His frown was evident and he looked dismayed.

My mouth was agape. I wanted to tell him it was different then what he thought but there wasn't a chance to do that.

Ray shook his head at those words. He was muttering to himself but it wasn't legible to the regular ear. He raised his hand in defense of himself. "Of course, she won't believe you! You're a liar! Lila, stay back. Don't ever get close to him. He's dangerous. He's a bad guy."

V was cloaked in grief. "Saeran... it pains me to see you, I'm sure this is all my fault."

"Don't say something like that! You don't feel guilty at all! I'm not falling for that this time. Never." He hissed.

V shook his head. He didn't budge from his spot. "I'm not the one who's lying to you. Please, can't you listen to me?"

"Get away! Get away. Get away. Get away from me!" Ray took a step back. His legs were trembling and his voice was quivering.

"Don't you dare touch Lila! I will never let you get away with it if you do...!"

V took a step forward, the space between us was shrinking despite the weight of dread that hung over everyone. This was wrong. This was very wrong. "You must be the one who hacked the messenger. You learned how to hack after your brother, didn't you...? Why did you have to go that far?"

Ray ferociously shook his head to V's words. "No... I'm going to beat that redhead. My savior told me that I have to...!"

"His brother?" I asked outright. I needed his focus to shift away from Ray for just a moment. This was growing very rapidly and Ray was going to slip back into a painful fit. _Saeyoung. Saeyoung is safe compared to this._

V looked in my direction for a moment and then back over to Ray. "Lila... I'll tell you now. You will find out eventually given this situation. The boy whom you call Ray and 707 are twins."

This only incited anger. "I have no such thing as a brother, I threw that part away from my life years ago!"

"Saeran... You even brought a complete stranger into this..? I promised Luciel you would be safe..." V sounded pained. His voice was gentle as always - but he was trying so hard not to cry.

"Liar. That's all lies. Get away from me. Please...!" Ray said. His body was trembling and he wasn't moving from that spot.

"Saeran..."

"Please, please get away, just go away... from my sight!" He cried.

"Saeran."

V approached Ray for the second time tonight - but this time he wasn't moving to disengage him from doing something traumatic... this time he had two bookmarks in his hand. It appeared as though one had Ray's true name on it and the other had Seven's true name on it: a matching set for the matching brothers.

"What... is this...?" He grimaced. Ray's breath was uneven and his voice was shaking as he spoke. He took a step back from V - his legs wobbling as he did so - barely holding himself from falling to his knees onto the gravel and pavement alone.

"I know you were heartbroken as much as you missed him. This is what you really looked like. I hope you would keep that in mind at least."

"No... No. Don't give me this. My savior will be so mad if I take it. You never gave me this. I did not see anything here," Ray shook his head left and right, a firm no over and over. "No, no, no, no. Get away! Get away!"

V kept talking to him despite his refusal to believe any of the words that left his lips. He was pushing very hard but it was getting him nowhere whatsoever. He tried again, this time leaning out. "You're shivering in fear while trapped by her side. My heart is wrenching in pain..."

"You're going to torment us all just like you did to my savior. You can't fool me. You won't fool me again."

"I'm so sorry things turned out like this, Saeran."

Ray's knees buckled and to fell to the ground, his fingers trembling next to him as he tried to move away. He was paralysed with imminent fear - he was so scared at that moment all I could see was a terrified boy - trying so hard to escape from his pain and unable to do so.

I stepped between Ray and V at that moment with all of the courage I had inside of my body.

Thd situation had escalated far beyond what V had intended.

Ray was petrified at the sight of him. He was on the verge of a panic attack... I couldn't be sure of the past- what happened between him and V, but I knew that anything Rika had been feeding him since that moment in the past that it wasn't going to be easy to Ray to stomach the sight of him.

It hurt my heart to see him like that.

I wasn't going to let Ray suffer like that.

I looked up at V.

"V... I know your intentions are good. This isn't something that I believe can be fixed with mere words, I don't know what happened in the past but this can't be fixed in a night. You're not going to get anything through to him while he's distressed like this because it's only making him catatonic. You're only making it worse. You're hurting him right now and I can't let that happen."

"Lila... I'm terribly sorry this is how our encounter turned out," V frowned, his eyes flickering between the both of us with dismay. "I had hoped to get the both of you out of here without any trouble. But this is beyond the scope I expected."

"You need to get going now," I said. I knew they were going to start coming to this spot within minutes .Ray's cries for help were all that could be heard in the background behind us. "I'm sorry we can't leave with you... It's not the right time. He's never going to leave like this."

There was too much mystery here at Mint Eye and so much that couldn't be fixed in a night. Ray wasn't going to leave with me yet and the fact that there were more secrets that I was aware made me scared to run. People i loved and my newfound friends would be in trouble if something was being used as a trump card against me, and against him.

If I went running - we would be caught - Ray would never trust me again and he would lose himself forever.

A voice came from over a nearby hedge. "Over there! An intruder!"

"I'm sure our minds aren't the same, but I hope you can see what this truly is for his sake. I hope someday you will be able to see what is true... Lila. I heard everything that took place between you two. I suggest it would be better to pretend nothing happened in the chatroom. For Saeran's sake. I hope we meet again."

The sound of feet hitting the pavement was all I could hear as V retreated.

I turned my attention back to Ray.

He was clutching his head and tears were spilling from his eyes. The feeling of panic still lingered in the air, he was desperately afraid of V. I crouched down onto the ground next to him and carefully touched his shoulders. Ray did flinch at the sudden feeling of hands on his skin, but he relaxed when he realized it was my hands, not V.

He was breathing again through his panic. It was sharp but he wasn't gasping to find it anymore. V had been what set this minor panic attack off - him being gone was going to fix this. "Huff... Huff... Is he gone? He's gone, right...? Lila, you're safe, too right?" His eyes began to trickle with wet tears.

"Yes. He's gone, Ray. It's okay. You're okay." I whispered to him - my touch as gentle as I could manage - the sensation would be enough to remind him that we were here and he wasn't alone in this fear. "I'm okay too. We're here together and I won't let anything bad happen."

Ray was quiet.

He didn't push me away so I took that as a good sign.

He was calming down but he was lapsing into depression's lull. He wiped his eyes free of the tears that escaped him. "I... I'm too weak. I hate myself... I'm so useless. I really hate myself... Maybe it's impossible... maybe I can never... make you ha... Uh, no. Forget that. I'll walk you to your room. I understand even if you hate me... because of how pathetic I am."

"Ray - no, you're not useless..." I whispered.

He wiped his eyes free of the wetness and looked down in shame. "Please calm down in there, and let's talk again... once you're feeling you're up for it. I'm sorry... I couldn't protect you, Lila."

* * *

 _My phone was in my hand and I had reluctantly accepted the video call when my sister's name had popped on my screen. Surely, I hadn't meant to click anything that day but I had and we ended up having a conversation between the two of us. It wasn't sour as I thought, and I had been so... silly and scared that she might have been angry with me._

 _"You're going to be a great mom, Lucy. I think Mia is going to grow up happy with you and Harley. You're much stronger and compassionate the Mom and Dad were to us. You won't abandon her suddenly or treat her wrong."_

 _"...Lila." The expression on the video screen told me what she felt about my words._

 _"I know... We don't talk about it... I'm just, I'm so happy for you." I gripped the edge of my couch with my free hand to keep my body grounded with my mind._

 _"Are you feeling okay?" Lucy asked._

 _I turned my head to the side so I wouldn't have to look her in the face I spoke up once again. "...I'm okay. I'm sorry I wasn't there when she was born."_

 _"You... You were having a hard time, I understood that. It was hard on all of us when Dad went missing at the pier and they couldn't..." Lucy trailed, shaking her head at the whatever she was thinking. "Look, it's okay. I'm here for you and you're here for me. We'll always have each even if Mom doesn't or Dad didn't when we were younger like they should have been. And you're going to be here for Mia just as much as Harley and I, okay? So you just focus on recouping your health."_

 _"I'll do my best to be there," I said quietly. "I know I promised her a painting to match the theme of her nursery before everything happened. Don't think that I forgot about my promise. I have some more work on it to get it just right, but it's coming out better then I thought. I can't wait to drive it over to your house soon."_

 _When I looked back at the screen Lucy was smiling. "I know it's going to be the centerpiece of the room... besides Mia, that is."_

 _"She better not be a huge cry-baby. I think I'm going to need a nap when I visit!"_

 _"You should be more worried about Harley keeping you from getting any rest. You think Mia might be a crier, you haven't seen my girlfriend when she thinks she can make Mia stop crying by crying with her!" Lucy declared. "It's the funniest thing I've ever seen and then I can't stop laughing at them and it's just a mess."_

 _The two of us laughed and laughed._

 _It was like nothing had changed._

 _I felt relieved._

 _It was the first time we had seen each other, had even spoken to each other, or even face over video chat since the following early winter. Lucy looked like she was doing well. Her dirty blonde hair was in a bun, away from her toddler's grabbing fingers. Mia was a cute baby as far as picture's went, and as much as I could see of her in the background of the video window. She had her mom's hair, that was for sure. Her eyes weren't unlike anyone in the family, she had the same chocolate eyes as the rest of my family._

 _She would probably steal my heart if I met her in person, I figured._

 _"I really miss you sis." I whispered._

 _"Hey, it won't be much longer until we see each other again, okay?"_

* * *

I woke up feeling completely disoriented and confused.

This room... This wasn't my room.

It was much frillier and... Wait. I'm still here.

I'm here, living in a game simulation and I don't know how I even got here. I gripped the sheets so hard my fingers turned white, they ached from the pressure but I didn't let go. Last night... Last night, I had almost been given the infamous elixir because I let myself get caught up in the game and everything around me.

My heart was still racing at everything that had befallen me.

I had an opportunity to run but I... I didn't take it when I had the chance on V to get out of here. Either time that V came for me. I hesitated both chances and... Why? When I shut my eyes, I knew why.

Him.

Ray.

Saeran.

Whatever he wanted me to call him.

He wasn't lost fully to Rika.

He feared what would become of me if I took the elixir, and he was covering up for me from now on. Allowing me to be here without that poison touching my lips in the first place. He was protecting me in his own way - but was that enough reason to go off of when I tried to pull him back to the surface away from the darkness?

There was a limb he was hanging on that I never expected him too. Ray had more compassion inside of him then I thought would there, it wasn't false on him.

The drugs had just twisted him... I shook my head.

I didn't even know.

Drugs did things to you that made you change.

I saw it happen to my father. What Ray was taking was beyond what I knew and I couldn't be sure... yet, when we spoke last night he said something I couldn't believe and that was beyond him hiding from his own savior that I hadn't taken what I should have that night.

What was even more concerning to me, was the fact that last night Ray knew something about me that I hadn't told him and he shouldn't have been able to know about me.

He knew my Dad's name.

How did he know... How the did Rika know who the hell my Dad was, and how had he talked to her in the first place? There was only way one to find out the answer and my cell phone held it.

My fingers were shaking and my heart was racing.

I lifted my phone back into my hands and began to search for something.

 **RESULTS FOUND.**

"...He didn't die." I realized at that very moment the truth of my situation. Because on the webpage in front of me was an article about a man who had been missing for years in South Korea - a man that had not been seen in what was almost twenty- something years to this day.

* * *

 **Ray has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Ray:** stealth -9987 - 20056206165

17738349

1384383

4475449

24448174

13434323

27

Huh...?

 **Wisteria:** You must still be busy, Ray. Are you having your meals properly?

 **Ray:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Ray:** Oh. I opened a chatroom by mistake. I tried not to log in until I'm done with my job...I'm sorry...

 **Wist eria:** That's alright. I wanted to talk to you!

 **Ray:** ...I wish I could chat with you even for a moment, but... I know right now I don't deserve to talk to you. I'll remember my place. I'll try. I'm just so grateful you're still here...

 **Wisteria:** You don't have to worry. I'm not going anywhere without you.

 **Ray:** Do you... really mean it? What should I do to see you here? Please tell me everything you need me to do.

 **Wisteria:** Okay. I'll tell you, so first make sure you take care of yourself first.

 **Ray:** I will... as soon as I'm done with this job. Thanks... Oh... that's 's something I want to tell you. By tomorrow... You'll be able to roam around this place as you like, though I screwed up badly the other dayI made sure my savior knows that you're one of us now...

 **Wisteria:** Don't worry about me. Are you alright?

 **Ray:** Don't worry about me. I don't deserve to have you care about me... You're doing so well for me in the RFA chatroomsbut compared to you.. I think I'm not even close to good enough. CRY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** That's not true. Please don't say that Ray.

 **Ray:**...I'm a moron and weak. I'll be good for nothing if I can't even do the hacking right. I won't be able to fix all the parts that I lack but if I try really hard I might become a person at least you won't dislike.

 **Wisteria:** I think what matters is what you think about yourself. Not what I think.

 **Ray:** Myself? I... I think I'm a moron and good for nothing. My thought doesn't matter. What matters is what you think about me. What do you want me to work on? CRY EMOJI

 **Ray:** I... I didn't even know that V was hiding here... so I don't think even my savior trusts me anymore.

 **Wisteria:** It looked like V wanted all of us to get together. Peacefully.

 **Ray:** You shouldn't trust him, Lila. I'll never let him get close to you I don't come. up with a good accomplishment until morning then maybe...I won't be able to see you for a while

 **Wisteria:** Do you have to push yourself so much, Ray? Mint Eye is forcing you to do something so demanding it's hurting your health...

 **Ray:** No I should do this. It proves how useful I am... There's something that bothers me...Please don't hate me... even if I tell you what...

 **Wisteria:** It's okay. Tell me.

 **Ray;** Okay. I'm scared that my savior will find out. I made you one of us without making you drink the elixir. To be honest, that's my greatest fear these days.

 **Wisteria:** You took a big risk to protect me. It will be alright.

 **Ray:** Don't thank me. I'm sorry this is all I can do when you trust me so much. I like everything about this placeexcept dealing with the elixir... It's so painful So I don't want to force it on you. CRY EMOJI

 **Ray:** Only people like me... people who are too stupid to understand my savior need that elixir. So Lila... you don't need to take it.

 **Wisteria:** I think you don't need it either. Please don't drink it if it's hurting you.

 **Ray:** No... I'm an airhead... I don't know what's best for me. I wish... I could do something about this weak body of minewith the elixir.

 **Ray:** Anyways, Lila, Even if someone tries to make you take it. Just tell them that I'll get you a glass later. Okay?

 **Wisteria: Okay.**

 **Ray:** Okay! Now I feel a little better I hope you had dinner.

 **Wisteria:** You don't need to worry about me so much, okay?

 **Ray:** But I can't help it. You matter mow to me. Even if I'm sick. I hope you're never sick... I need to protect you but... I'm sorry I'm not good enough. It doesn't matter if you hate me. But please don't leave... I beg you.

 **Wisteria:** I'm not going anywhere without you. I hope your heart finds peace soon.

 **Ray:** Really...? Do you really mean it? For me? Thanks. I'll keep your words in this heart of mine. I... I don't care how much I suffer as long as you're here.

 **Wisteria:** I don't want you suffering because of me.

 **Ray:** I'm willing to suffer as much as I can... That's how much I don't want to lose you... Is your room alright? It's not too hot or too cold, is it? I hope you find just the right temperature... and enjoy your rest

 **Wisteria:** I'm alright. I missed you.

 **Ray:** Me too... But I shouldn't think about that. Oh, sorry... You might be upset that I'm caring for you. I... I will go now. For real.

 **Wisteria:** Please take care, Ray. Don't think badly of yourself. Please.

 **Ray: Goodbye, Lila...**

 **Ray has left the chatroom.**

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

I'm so glad I've gotten so much likes and views from everybody. I really appreciate it and it really motivates me you guys. Even a little comment or a simple comment make me feel so much better about what I'm doing.


	8. Chapter 8

**INTERLUDE 1: Takes place during the day of Chapter Seven. **

* * *

Ray stood in his savior's throne room, one could call it that. It was her room and it illuminated her high-status and power in Magenta. She wasn't looking very pleased with him. Her expression was low as Ray told her what had just happened that night with V. "V threatened Lila and gave us a bunch of lies that I know were nothing but lies before he left."

"You don't believe in his lies, do you?" Rika questioned.

Ray shook his head. Of course, he would never ever believe V! Not ever! He had hurt him and the savior so many times. "No! Of course not... not even a bit. I'm scared. What if he comes back and takes her away? I lost him right under my nose. I don't think I even deserve to see her now... My only dream was to make her happy at this place... What should I do my savior? You told me that I must not fear him, but I..."

Ray felt the tears slipping out of him.

He was so weak.

He had promised Lila he would keep her safe.

He couldn't even do that right!

He had been cowardly and she had to protect him from that villain.

His savior must be so disappointed in him.

"...Ray. Poor child. Look at you, you've become a coward. You've lost control over your fear and feelings. You're lost in your feelings towards that girl. Not to mention you just realized just now that shameless intruder was lurking in this place for months. Now you're a coward and a good-for-nothing."

"...I knew it. I've done something wrong, didn't I? Is everything my fault?" Savior always knew. She always knew the answer.

"The answer lies within you, Ray," Rika told him.

"What should I do? Help me, my savior..." He begged her to give him anything that would lead him on the right path again.

"Of course. I'll always be there for you. I can help you next time if you show me how different you've become. But if that's not the case... Perhaps this place doesn't need you, Ray."

* * *

 _Where did Saeyoung run off to again? Where's that damn brother of yours? I know you know where. Saeyoung, that rotten... As soon as the money's mine, I'll no longer have to keep him. The only reason why I'm looking for him is that he's the reason why his father will spit out some money for me. But anyways, I'll keep him alone until the transaction is complete... And just where would that termite run off to all the time?!"_

 _"Please don't be mad... I don't know where he is... I mean it."_

 _"And how come you know nothing all the time? Seriously, you're such a useless airhead. Just you wait, I'm throwing you out as soon as your father sends the money... What a useless parasite. And talk about that creepy atmosphere of yours... Even the sight of you is pissing me off. And who do you think you're staring at?"_

 _"..."_

 _"What, are you now rebelling against me just because you've grown a millimeter taller? Listen up... Saeran._

 _"Ugh, I can't breathe. You're choking me... Mom..."_

 _"Fleas like us can't survive in this world without losing sanity... without living like scoundrels. This is how bugs like us are supposed to survive. We need to be heartless unless we want those guys with the crowns to crush our heads... Nobody among us should dare try to keep their head up to anyone, family or otherwise, in the battlefield called survival. You should know your place... So stop making a fuss and stay silent like a grave! Stop pissing me off, for Christ's sake!"_

 _"Cough.."_

 _"And how dare you look into my eyes like that? You think I'm a bad mother? How dare you try to disobey me just because you've managed to survive a couple more years now...? But there's no point in growing up like that. Nothing will change even if you grow up. Once a bug, always a bug. You're weak and stupid... You should consider yourself blessed if you manage to keep breathing."_

 _"What an airhead... What a good-for-nothing... You're useless, Saeran Choi. That won't change even if you grow up."_

 _Rika's voice ran through his head. Her figure was illuminated by sunlight... Far away from the cold room that his Mother once inhabited. "No, that's not true. I'll save you Saeran... You'll learn how to make yourself useless if you try hard. So all you need to do is obey me."_

...

"Hah... That was close. I must not rest, I must not rest. I need to stay alert." Ray woke up with a start. He had fallen asleep at this desk again- it had been so long since he had done this, he felt awful that he had fallen asleep for even a brief moment. He caught his breath from the dream that lingered and stared at his hands.

Why couldn't he be good enough?

There was a knock at the door that knocked Ray from his thoughts.

"Who is it?" He called from his spot.

A familiar masculine voice filled the room. It was him... The advisor to the savior, he was standing the doorway with a bottle in his hands that Ray knew all too well already by the color of it. "Ray." The man greeted. His face was kind on the surface and he always seemed to look like he knew best what savior wanted. Ever since this man had arrived months back, operations had been going smoothly as had recruitment of the lost and needed.

"Come in," Ray said as rose up from his chair and went to meet him halfway.

"The savior sent you this." He said with a pleasant smile.

"...Oh, it's time for the elixir." Ray took it from his hands and stared at it for a moment. He wasn't hesitating or anything, as looked at the bottle that leads to his salvation here at Mint Eye, he was just... still tired. He lifted his head up and stared at the older man as he wasn't moving.

"..."

"You saw me receiving it, Mr. Claude... Do you need to stay?" He asked.

"She wants me to see you drinking it," Claude said.

"...Alright."

He opened the bottle and allowed the liquid to slither down his throat once again. It burned, it ached- it was just as it had always been- the power of this elixir was far stronger then he was used to receiving...

Or was this his imagination?

The moment that he left was the moment Ray forced himself back into his work.

Ray was working as fast as his fingers could work for him. His eyes wandering to monitors to check what he needed, and yet... He paused for a moment to see where Lila was talking in the chatroom. She was chatting with that actor now and he was prattling on about some part he was trying to get- it was nothing of interest to him for now, not until they were aiming away from data and straight to the conversion of the RFA's members into paradise.

But... What caught his attention was Lila, she was encouraging him.

Lila had proven over and over that she was a nice girl, she was always supporting those members when they talked. Be it this chat, or that one she had earlier with that boy Yoosung... Or the other chats in between that and before.

For some reason, he longed to hear her voice again.

He wanted her to encourage him...

She told him before she believed in him...

Ray tore his eyes away from the screen. The elixir was burning in his chest. If he didn't prove himself to the savior he might never prove himself capable of hearing Lila speak to him ever again... Even if she hated him for being weak. He wanted to see her once more. He took in some air and began to type again.

 _I must keep going..._

* * *

It wasn't but a few hours later that he heard knocking at the door of the intelligence room once again. "Who is it...?" His eyelids were heavy but he didn't need to bring himself away from his work now.

"Good evening, Ray."

It was Claude again, his voice was very recognizable. He didn't bother to wait for permission from Ray, he just entered the room with a bottle in tow. It seemed bigger than the dose this morning that he brought...? Were his eyes playing tricks on him?

Ray blinked. "Oh... The elixir. Hey... Am I mistaken? Or did you bring more then you brought earlier today?"

"The savior prepared it herself for you, so I don't know anything about those amounts."

"I need to take it all, right?" Ray clarified.

With a nod of his head, Claude confirmed this. "I can wait."

"...Huff... Ugh..." Ray did his best to drink every lost drop in the container. It was better not to breathe or pause when drinking the elixir, he had found, in one motion was the best and quickest way to make it disappear into his body. The moment it hit his stomach- it made him nauseous, but he didn't let Claude see that reaction from him. He was weak enough as it was.

He could handle this pain. He would handle it.

"Here, I'll take that bottle for you... I'll see you bright and very early tomorrow morning, Ray." Claude paused in the doorway, his head turning just enough to meet Ray's eyes for a just a mere second. "Do try to do your best for the savior. I would hate to think how upset my little Wisteria would be if you failed us- failed our savior."

The weight in the room after he said that... It made Ray feel that he was even weaker in the presence of people that had proved themselves great already. He was nothing. He was weak. He wasn't worth their time.

He put his hands back on his keyboard.

He tried to tried a row of text... And his fingers slipped. Ray had accidentally opened a chatroom in the messenger. He moved to delete the log but - Lila had logged onto the messenger.

She acted like she wasn't angry at how weak he was. She seemed like she was worried about him again.

But Ray... Ray knew he didn't deserve her worry or her compassion. He left the chatroom but he didn't feel any better physically then he had before. Lila may have eased his mind for a brief moment - but he knew the truth.

"My head... My body is burning. Though I have to take it." He coughed once more, holding his hand to his lips. "At this rate... I can't concentrate on my work. This is bad. Damn it... Why am I so weak? My savior loves me. She's only looking out for me... No. She said what matters is my faith. I should... believe... that I'm strong. It's too hot... What do I do? ...Cold water. I need cold water." He told himself.

Ray headed into the shower and turned the cold water knob up all the way. He wasn't worthy of anything but this.

Shame on himself for being so weak.

"Get a grip... This isn't the time for this. I must prove that I'm useful to her. Otherwise, I can't survive... or else I can't stay with her. Just what good is my body for? It's too weak... These arms are too thin. This whole body is too thin... It gets bruises every time I fall... This body is useless. It doesn't deserve anything good to eat. It doesn't deserve good sleep. It doesn't deserve a warm shower... It just has to get slapped with cold water to stay working... Snap out of it. Weak Ray... Useless Ray... I'm not Saeran. I'm Ray, a walking ball of faults. Ray needs to hit the road someday. His brain, his arms, his eyes, his whole body... I hate them. I hate them all... Ray's too weak..."


	9. Chapter 9

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

EIGHT

"Looming Disaster."

* * *

I sat there for a long time - I just ended up pacing back and forth - doing anything that I could think of - something that would ward off any anxiety and panic that was within me. There was one thing - My father was alive, he was from this place, this world - there was another thing - Ray, I cared about him, and he was suffering right now - I couldn't do anything about either of those things. I just stayed in this room.

In the void - my phone began to ring. "Huh? Uh... It's me. Thanks for picking up... Actually, I have something to tell you. I heard my savior talking about you. That you might be working on something else once the RFA is all cleansed." Ray whispered. It was nice to hear his voice once again after he had been going through so much pain throughout the long night. His voice sounded nervous and, even shifty as if he were... scared about someone finding him on the phone in the first place as he spoke to me.

Had that been her plan the entire time? Was I some kind of tool in some higher plan she had? No, no. It wasn't time to focus ahead that far, I needed to keep my mind straight on the present and not guessing-games. "On what, what do you think?" I asked him.

"I don't know. Maybe it's a glorious mission you'd get to share with my savior...?" He paused, "I didn't get much detail. My savior wanted me not to let that bug me and just focus on my work. Sorry, I couldn't be of more help - my savior will tell you about in person once this is wrapped up. But the thing is... I might not be able to see you once you get a new job. It's not settled yet, but I keep thinking about it even though she didn't want me to - I have to stay here away from you as we speak, and we might be separated forever... then maybe I won't get to hear you again... I guess I got a bit nervous." Ray admitted this in confidence.

Why was this? "Of course, you're a wonderful person, nothing like me... I know you have to work on something important with someone who's much more wonderful than me. I know that, but I feel upset... That's because I'm a moron, isn't it?"

"Ray, no, you're not a moron." I shook my head at the idea. He didn't need to be kicking himself like he was. I hated to hear anyone talking about themselves like this. "You should think about what you want to do, Ray."

He wasn't hearing a word that I was saying now. He kept denying it - denying himself. "I'm a moron. I shouldn't think for myself. My savior told me that I'll make the wrong choice every time and annoy people around me - my savior told me I have no idea how weak I am, so I shouldn't be responsible for anything... But here's the thing, I should leave everything to my savior. But I don't want to leave you to anyone. I shouldn't be greedy, but I can't help it. Sorry for being greedy... Still, I feel so reassured hearing you. I just don't want anyone to bother you." He trailed off - there was a long pause as I didn't say anything and he couldn't say anything.

"Thanks... Oh, someone's here. I should hang up. I'll call you again... You will pick up, won't you? Sorry, gotta go!"

My eyes rested on the dropped call window until it disappeared from my sight. He was gone now. I couldn't tell him what I wanted. "I don't want to lose you either, Ray." I murmured.

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** It's you. Are you not sleepy?

 **Wisteria:** I'm much in the mood to sleep. Something is eating at my mind.

 **Jumin Han** : If you are caught with concern try turning around from your emotions and find your peace. It is a silent night.

 **Wisteria:** How come you're still up, Jumin?

 **Jumin Han:** I opened my mailbox before going to bed and I got an email from my father. It says that there will be an important event that requires attention for this month... He suggests we should hold off this art business that we originally planned to work on in joint with Mr. Kim. But what is this unpleasant premonition?

 **Wisteria:** Hm. He must have something that requires his full attention?

 **Jumin Han:** I wish but I cannot deny that it is a shame we must postpone this business. More then a tankful of sweat and blood was exhausted for this project since it will mark the beginning of the company's business in the arts field. The only more important thing I can think of... would be a cat-related business. At least for me.

 **Wisteria:** It sounds important to me too lol

 **Jumin Han** : It is awfully suspicious that he sent the email in the middle of the night. He tends to write emails outside of business hours when there is something he feels guilty of. Don't tell me... Is this related to...

 **Wisteria:** Maybe your father has a new girlfriend...?

 **Jumin Han** : How come you know my father so well? Is this related to 'Madam Kim?' His new woman? I wish I could say that can't be it, but the chances are high... In the past, before he parted ways with 'Madam Kang' not too long ago, he was beyond himself to start a business on oyster farming just because it happened to be her favored dish.

 **Jumin Han:** He even sent a box of oyster to my office on daily occasions so that I could experience myself how richly bound they are with nutrition.

 **Wisteria:** That's a weird way of showing compassion, but I suppose at least he thinks of you in some way like that. That's kind of the weird thing that happens to people when they have relationships that are... unsure. Ah, there is someone I'm worried about like that... I'm worried if he's even listened to my advice that he should eat more...

 **Jumin Han:** It appears there is someone troubling you. However, that person's health is his own responsibility. No matter how much people around him take care of him, it'd be temporary if that person does not start caring for himself. I hope you'd relay this to your certain someone.

 **Jumin Han:** Anyhow... We even ran a review on CVs from the ecologists to hire oyster farming, But before the actual hiring process started my father's relationship ended - and thank goodness for that.

 **Wisteria:** A relief it must have been though

 **Jumin Han:** Agreed. My thoughts remain the same. Farming business has no relation to the C&R's future whatsoever. My father's only fault is that his decisions are compromised once his personal feelings start to take effect. QUIET EMOJI

And I can't express how glad I am that such characteristic is not included in my hereditary compositions. I presume we could do great things as father and son if his personal feelings are spent not on new women but for exploring the known and unknown of cats.

 **Wisteria:** I can agree with the idea - they are great animals to have around when you're in need, oh - How about a center for cats-in-need?

 **Jumin Han:** Though as much as I crave to build a colossal cat tower building... I should save my craving for the future until I prevail the seat of the heir with my accomplishments

 **Wisteria:** A giant cat tower building? You mean to look like the structure that cats play with?

 **Jumin Han:** Yes... Actually, I already received the bird's-eye view blueprint of the building from an architect. Wait, was it from the architect? Or was it from the new town development expert...? No, wait. Was it the real estate consultant?

 **Wisteria:** I'm impressed you had to time to get this done.

 **Jumin Han:** The print revamps whenever necessary and that proves just how valuable it is. I sometimes review this print whenever my work pace fails to cooperate.

 **Jumin Han:** Whenever I do, I remind myself that I must be faithful to what I have at hand at the moment to meet this building in the physical essence in the future and right now I'm having a moment of realization that motivation is what drives a task.

 **Wisteria** : I think motivation can work best when you're under pressure. At least - I tend to get down to business on my work when I'm under a deadline - It keeps me grounded.

 **Jumin Han:** It might, on a microscopic level. It would work for a short run. However, great things in long cases last for long.

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** Wisteria, I see you're logged in.. Are you... um... Are you okay?

 **Wisteria:** Yes, I'm alright V. Things are calm.

 **V:** Thank heavens.

 **Jumin Han:** Is there a problem with Wisteria's safety?

 **Wisteria:** Oh, no, it's nothing.

 **V:** ...

 **Jumin Han:** I'm glad if that's the case...But why don't we change the subject? V, What's your impression on the building of my dreams?

 **V** : SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **V:** I'm having a myriad of impressions since I have no doubt you will actually manage to build it.

 **Jumin Han:** I, too, picture a mixture of potential scenes for my future

whenever I gaze upon this print

 **Wisteria:** You mean becoming a cool-headed business head?

 **Jumin Han:** I believe that is already on my list of accomplishments. Same could be said of my father, but he's rather uninterested in nature and it's destruction. I, in fact, wish to lead eco-friendly business with a cat-related business as the mascot.

 **V** : Good for you, Jumin.

 **Jumin Han:** Which is why I am thinking I should fix the statue of Elizabeth the 3rd on the top of the building.

 **V:** I don't know about that... I think it would be better to place it at the entrance than on top.

 **Jumin Han:** Why is that?

 **Wisteria:** We should prevent the casualty of any aerial misfortunes.

 **V:** That was what I wanted to say, Wisteria. The pilots flying over the building might lose grip of their controls in alarm.

 **Jumin Han:** Ah. That is a possible effect of her beauty. I appreciate your suggestion.

 **V:** Anytime.

 **Jumin Han:** HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria** : V... Are you planning to head to bed soon?

 **V:** Oh... Actually, the reason why I logged in was partial to see if you're okay. It's also to ask Jumin something.

 **Jumin Han:**?

 **V:** Though I asked you and the rest of the members to leave everything regarding the hacker to me and Luciel...

 **Wisteria:** You're... You're not going to put up a fight against the hacker, are you?

 **V:** Wisteria... I don't think talking about this in your presence is the most ideal method.

 **Jumin Han** : It appears you two share something I'm not aware of.

 **V:** ...We do. There is something I cannot tell you. But there is something I couldn't tell Wisteria as well. So I'm actually skeptical of what I'm about to do. However... Wisteria has to know what is going on and I also need your help to settle this. So, for now, I wish you'd hear me out.

 **Jumin Han** : ...First, let's hear it.

 **V** : As you'd know, I have no knowledge of hacking so Luciel is entrusted with the majority of the task.

 **Jumin Han:** I expected nothing else. However, isn't Luciel already busy enough working as an informant?

 **Wisteria:** I think... It would also be rather cruel to make him chase after the hacker.

 **V:** ...I agree.

 **Jumin Han:** Cruel...? Is there some other reason I have no knowledge of?

 **V:** Uh... I can't tell you right now.

 **Jumin Han:** Hmm.

 **V:** First I wish you'd do me a favor. Could you?

 **Jumin Han** : ...Very well. So let's hear it.

 **V:** I am a bit ashamed to discuss this now after declaring everyone not to bother... SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** How exactly can I help?

 **V:** So far I have asked two things from Luciel. 1. Identifying the hacker. 2. Securing the security of the messenger, and I want Luciel to take on only the second task.

 **Wisteria:** Ideally, it would be better if he didn't have to...

I typed that down and I meant every word of it. I didn't want them to have to fight each other. I'm sure that V understood where I was coming from with this but there was a point to his position. I didn't want Seven to see Ray like this. The ideal scenario was to get Ray out of here and help him detox before we even considered letting him see Saeyoung. It would be an unstable scenario and I wanted so desperately for them to see each other once more on better terms then they were now. I couldn't be sure of what may happen if they did.

Shaking my head, I looked back down at my phone.

 **Jumin Han:** To be honest I'm confused. Wisteria, it feels like you know much more then I do.

 **V** : I'm sorry. I can't tell you everything right now.

 **Jumin Han:** So you're saying... that you'd like me instead of Lucielto investigate this hacker?

 **V:** Yes, if that's possible.

 **Wisteria:** Even if C&R steps in, they'll never find out who it is. That's from a realistic perspective... You don't even want them to know who it is, V.

 **V:** ...Wisteria.

 **Jumin Han:** She's got a point. Didn't you say... that even Luciel is struggling against that hacker? I'm not sure if the investigation can prove itself as a short-term task even with C&R'S power in aid.

 **V:** It doesn't matter how long it takes. My purpose, for now, is to lighten Luciel's load...

 **Jumin Han** : Very well, then. I will also seek a way to aid him.

 **Wisteria:** V, I appreciate that you're working hard to keep things together. I only want the best outcome, but you must be feeling rather complicated on your end.

 **V:** Thank you so much for saying that, Wisteria. Now I'm feeling less concerned...

 **Jumin Han:** It appears you two are maneuvering a little banter of secrets but I hope whatever you have on your shoulders will unravel soon.

 **V:** Thanks, Jumin. HAPPY EMOJI

 **V:** By the way is your art business completely postponed?

 **Jumin Han** : Yes. I assume I will soon find a new task on my desk but I'm not exactly sure what it will be. In order to reenact the building of my dreams in reality... I must first demonstrate my competence as a businessman to my father...

 **V** : Why don't we save the talks for the party? Then we'd actually meet Wisteria.

 **Jumin Han:** Hm... Very well. That's not so bad.

 **V** : Anyhow I'll tell Luciel that he doesn't work on trying to figure out who the hacker.

 **Jumin Han:** Alright. However, keep in mind that it will take longer then it would have under Luciel's management.

 **V:** Alright.

 **Jumin Han:** I see your relationship with Luciel has not changed a bit.

 **V** : Huh? What are you talking about?

 **Jumin Han:** Luciel is now an adult but it feels like he's still under your guardianship.

 **Wisteria** : You're trying at least.

 **V** : I feel like my efforts are in vain.

I appreciate your words though.

 **Jumin Han:**? I think you're already doing a splendid job.

 **V:** I don't know. But I appreciate your positive review on me, and now I think I must go. There's something that I must attend to for a moment.

 **Jumin Han:** Aren't you going to bed soon?

 **V:** I will. Soon. It's just that there's something I need to wrap up...

 **Jumin Han:** V I'd like you to share with me what you have investigated about the hacker so far. I too will tend to that matter as soon as I can.

 **V:** I will. Thanks a lot! HAPPY EMOJI

 **Jumin Han** : Sure.

 **Wisteria:** ...

 **V has left the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** It seems like you share a dozen secrets with V.

 **Wisteria:** I ended up here on pure coincidence - that is what I can tell you. I only want everything to be alright for everyone.

 **Jumin Han:** I'll take that as your sincere prayer. Wouldn't he have told us all of his secrets if he knew how we all felt? When we were young he never disappeared so mysteriously like that... V rarely asks me to do favors so that's why I try to do my best whatever it is he asks of me.

 **Wisteria:** You're friends, after all. Just... Just don't underestimate the power the hacker has.

 **Jumin Han** : His competence has been proven considerably.

 **Jumin Han:** Since Luciel is actually struggling... there's no denying that hacker is no ordinary one. Even V has to step in to lighten Luciel's load. Or are my speculations correct? Is he still experiencing difficulty putting the past behind when he looked after Luciel with Rika at the cathedral I would define my relationship as a friendship? This relationship between Luciel and V, however... I think it is more familial.

 **Wisteria:** I suppose it could appear that way.

 **Jumin Han:** I'd say he's serving as Luciel's guardian... Luciel is not the type to befriend or follow just anyone. That proves the depth of his trust in V. Defining a relationship is a challenge just as always. Hmm... I realized I just finished my last glass of wine. I should now head to bed as well. When do you plan to head to bed?

 **Wisteria:** I may as well try now.

 **Jumin Han:** Very well. Whatever it is you had with V... I hope it won't last long. Now please excuse me.

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

* * *

This was the first time in a while. "Hey, it's me, Seven. What are you doing right now? If it's okay with you, can we talk? For some reason, it's kind of hard to focus on my work." Seven sounded grim. His voice was much flatter than usual then his cheery tone that he greeted me. He was dealing with a lot, I figured. with V and the hacker and his family. The threat of the Prime Minister visiting V was unnerving as I had noted in a chatroom that had taken place earlier that I had missed while I tried to take a shower and not to mention the attacks that Ray was sending his way on the daily.

Their father was a government worker in a high position. Could he be the prime minister that was targeting V? I couldn't be certain but it was leaning in that direction. V wouldn't have felt so nervous otherwise... or was it just a meeting about his photography, wasn't it?

"You don't sound much like yourself this evening, Seven. Are you okay?" I asked him.

He couldn't hold up the facade. "Uh. Of course, I am - I'm just as energetic as I always am... that's what I want to say but you're right. So please understand even if this is boring with my mood. Which reminds me, I've heard something interesting recently. You know what is it? Somewhere outside Korea, I think, a kid was stuck under a truck, and the mother somehow managed to lift the truck to save her child."

I nodded my head to this, cradling my phone in my hands as I listened to him talk. "Some kind of superhero, huh? Humans are capable of anything in moments of distress."

"All hail the power of superpower! Haha! Maybe that mother was a superwoman; but... I think I've heard news like this few more times in the past. Once, someone told me that every person has a superpower within, just like that mother. It's just that usually we don't need to use a superpower. And when this superpower awakens... when we need to protect someone or something. What about you? Do you have anything you want to protect? Something so precious you can even awaken your superpower if necessary?"

Your brother. I was trying so hard here to find a way to keep him safe - find a way to keep us both safe. Those words almost left my lips, in which, I floundered and told him otherwise. "Uh... Sleep. That - That's a precious thing! Sometimes I knock my alarm clock off the desk - sometimes that extra five minutes is precious, you know!"

"Oh! I get ya! That's exactly why I actually slaughtered a couple of alarm clocks in my sleep. RIP... my alarms! Anyways, do you think I can be seven zero seven the invincible... if I have something I want to protect? My babes, the members of the RFA, and... and... I should really be brave and sacrifice myself in desperation to protect my precious things, shouldn't I? Just like that mother... You know... What if, I become a coward when I really need to be brave? That mother lifted a vehicle to save her child... But I'm scared that... that I'll just be frozen on the spot with fear... or just turn away as if I've seen nothing."

I had seen him do brave things in another lifetime - I knew he was fully capable of handling his pain if he really needed to - Seven could have what it takes even now. "I'm sure that you'll try harder then anyone else if a situation arises, Seven. Please have some faith in yourself."

"...Thanks for saying that. I think you're a really warm-hearted person. I can actually feel that you're sincere. I'm kind of encouraged hearing you. Ah - I gotta go back to work. I've bee having complicated feelings, but I feel better now that I've talked to you. Thanks. I'll call again. Have a good day."

* * *

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria lmao Perfect timing. Isn't it just hilarious? Srsly Jumin? lmao Him? Stitching? Doing SNS?

 **Wisteria:** Are you still practicing now, Zen?

 **ZEN:** Of course lmao, Man lmaooooooo. I logged in to take a break from practicing like crazy and srsly I almost vomited from laughing so hard lmaooooo. If Jumin were to have a hobby I thought he would do something like decryption antique books or collecting teacups

 **Wisteria:** I think it's admirable, honestly His hobby is his to choose, even if it seems a bit out of place to others haha

 **ZEN:** True but... But stitching? lmao Isn't it too petty for him? Rather, it suits Yoosung lmao

 **ZEN:** I can actually imagine him stitching with those puny hands of his when I look at a picture he took before high school graduation.

 **Wisteria:** I suppose your hobby is your work.

 **ZEN:** As for me, well though I know I've mentioned this before but yes, my hobby is identical to my work So I don't think I really have a hobby. Though I don't have a hobby. I'm doing what I love every day as a job so I don't think I need anything more particular.

 **Wisteria:** Not many people can say that about their lives. It's good that you feel comfortable... Though is there a line between work and your life?

 **ZEN:** I think that's why there's this term workaholic. I happen to be one lmao WINK EMOJI

 **ZEN:** I'm actually having a real hard time dissecting my characters. But know what...? When I picture myself on stage after this ordeal I can feel my energy surging... WINK EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** It might help you to plan time between your day to do this and that

 **ZEN:** It's easier said than done T-T

 **ZEN:** I'm sure that's what people would tell you when you visit the professional acting studio. But man... this is driving me nuts. They're the most difficult characters. I've ever met in my career. SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **ZEN:** Since there's already an original music for this I'm kind of scared that I'll be so caught up in the original piece and end up just copying it on stage... I have to run an analysis and interpretation of characters to make them perfectly mine... But I don't think my psychological spectrum is wide enough to see through and understand every plane and curve of mankind's good and evil... T-T

 **Wisteria:** I think you can do as much as your analysis can work honestly.

 **ZEN:** I know right? I should make my own analysis if precious analyses aren't enough but I don't have much time T-T Tbh I can see how much work I still need terms experience and skills. SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **ZEN:** I think... I need someone to help me. I think I need someone to be my partner so I can work on character analysis. If I repeat this with someone here to help me I might come to naturally understand at some point.

 **Wisteria:** I hope you do your best, but don't push yourself too hard... Have you considered maybe asking one of the other members? Why not Jaehee?

 **ZEN:** I think this could be the hallmark of my career if I do a good job on it. Jaehee likes musicals but she's busy because of Jumin's intelligence unit. MAN Jumin Han! ANGRY EMOJI He just has to get in my way even now! Should I ask Yoosung for help? Hm. Nah SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **ZEN:** Man... I do feel like doing something for Yoosung, now that I think about him again. He's being so emotional and I want to set him on the right path But am I being too nosy?

 **Wisteria** : I don't think so. Yoosung is still young - I mean to say, we're the same age, but he's still kind of immature. Why don't you lecture him a little?

 **ZEN:** He's an adult so I don't think the word immature is really appropriate but... I think I want to help him because he reminds me of my old days... When I practically ran away from my parents' house. I had a dream but it took so long for me to find myself on the right path... Now that I think about it time was the key. Though I didn't realize it back then.

 **Wisteria:** I don't think he would do well with more time exactly without help

 **ZEN:** I'm not gonna say you're wrong but things just won't get done because you're too anxious to get them done. There's still this strange feeling that you could control your time only when you don't obsessive about it lmao. Man... I should just go back to my script. The good and evil of mankind... Perhaps the evil that White represents... is none other than vengeance... against the hypocrites in the disguise of the good.

 **Wisteria** : Right and wrong are very subjective in terms of time. It's always changing as our society does. In that way, vengeance has no true meaning.

 **ZEN** : Lila, That's philosophical Mankind will realize there's no meaning to vengeance if human lifespan is eternal, don't you think? I'm not sure if my interpretation is correct. Should I make sure my characters give this catharsis to viewers.. whenever he commits something evil...? Or should I just make him look pure evil...? Someone once said that no one is actually completely evil in this world... Does that apply to White too? Or should I just make him a fictional character whose actually completely evil?

 **Wisteria:** Nobody is born evil, though, I think there are many people who don't realize that.

 **ZEN:** I'd like to think so too but when I find myself in a situation when I have to give up vengeance it's so hard to forgive... lmao Man... my artistic anguish is growing deeper. I hope my acting turns out better as much as I agonize... lmao. This time I want to mark myself in everyone's head not with my face with my acting...

 **Wisteria** : I'm sure you will do well, Zen.

 **ZEN:** Thanks! HAPPY EMOJI

 **ZEN:** And now I'm off to practice. Don't stay up too late and take care, alright?

 **Wisteria:** Sure, thanks.

 **ZEN:** ^^ Goodnight.

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

* * *

There was a knock at my door around midnight - I turned my head in the direction of the sound.

That was a lot heavier pounding then I expected from Ray - my hesitation was high - but it wasn't like I had a choice in ignoring the sound.

I took in my deep breath and opened the door. There standing in front of me was none other than the former party coordinator of the RFA. If she noticed the change in expression on my face, I wasn't sure. Scrunching up the best calm act I could bring - I stepped to the side and allowed her inside. This was her. This was the very woman that had caused so much anguish.

"I'm sorry to intrude and introduce myself in the middle of the night. But I just couldn't afford to find another time. So... you must be Lila, Ray told me so much about you." She smiled. Did he? Was he the one who told her or the other way around? "I'm sure it was frustrating, being trapped here. I cannot thank you enough for waiting and keeping faith in us. Not to mention I've heard you've been doing an excellent job in the RFA chatroom in order to help us. Oh, where are my manners? Did Ray already tell you about me? I'm the founder of the Mint Eye... Everyone at this place calls me the savior. You can call me that if you'd like."

"So you're the one who cleanses him, who... _helps_ him, _"_ I said, without thinking through my response.

"Well, I can perform cleansing in completion on him... only after he has finished healing himself. I plan to help him to the best of my abilities until then. If you like otherwise, you'd be a great help to him. Ray is tasked with an essential role in this place. He created the information system for this place, and he's in charge of the maintenance of that system."

"His role is crucial for the proper operation of the Mint Eye. And he is also entrusted with the cleansing project for the RFA, which you are also a part of. To give you more details, the main objective of this project is to collect preliminary information on the RFA through their chatrooms, to ultimately deliver them to us. This is something Ray has been devoting all his time for the past few months. The Mint Eye can never be free to establish its paradise unless we save the RFA from our enemies called V and Luciel. Which is why this project is directly related to our existence. But thankfully, we were able to bring you here safe and sound to be part of Ray's effort. I thought Ray's burden would have lessened with you... But now there is an unexpected problem."

The look in her eyes turned hazy, dark even, as she looked me up and down. Rika nodded to herself and then continued her what she had come to speak to me about.

"I've noticed that since who-knows-when Ray has grown... unusually weak in heart. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to blame you. The problem does not lie with you. It lies within Ray. Anyhow, my anxiety is growing. I am far from relieved that our work might not prove to be successful, with the finish line merely steps away. Same could be said of Ray. I'm sure he's frustrated as well... But it is also my duty to make sure his effort does pay off. So this project must not fail. For his sake... Oh, that's right. I forgot the most important... I hereby give you my warmest and sincerest welcome, Believer Lila, our special missionary. I'm hearing a series of reports on the performances you're demonstrating in the RFA chatrooms... I look forward to your continued effort and success. Here. This key card will prove your status in this place from here on."

I took the card from her hands.

I eyed it with speculation as she continued to talk to me and explain what it was for. "With this card," She explained. "you can access anywhere in this building. You should avoid visiting the intelligence room, however, since that's where Ray is working... And the security guards will give you a rundown of the places that you should not access. I give you my word that you'll find only salvation and cleansing in this place... Believer Lila. I wish I could stay longer, but I must go now. There is a report I'm waiting to hear. I must check whether a certain promise has been kept."

"Understood," I said.

Rika looked like she had more to say - her eyes sparkling with something I couldn't trace. "You know... You're much like he told me you were - now that I see you in person, that makes me very pleased with our results - Oh, but I think I'm getting ahead of myself but you have very lovely eyes - just like his. I like these."

"He?" I struggled to even open my mouth and get a question out from them. Him? Were my eyes the same as his? Who could she be referring to? I didn't even know if I wanted to know what she knew, there was a sense of... peace with nativity. If you didn't know, you didn't need to worry or fear anything. Rika smiled at me - it was the single most terrifying smile I had ever witnessed in my entire life.

"You'll see soon... Anyhow, I welcome you once again... For eternal paradise. And I hope you find true happiness in you. I hope we meet again."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Frankly, I too would be unnerved if I came face to face with someone I wasn't sure I could trust by any means. So, there we have it, she's met with the savor of Mint Eye at last and there's a mystery here that she's hiding from Lila. I wonder... what could be the reason she's not being so clear with her words? Lila doesn't know the answer and neither will you for a few more chapters.


	10. Chapter 10

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

NINE

"Golden."

* * *

I laid there in my bed and stared aimlessly at the ceiling.

White. All I could see was white.

It was the same as the endless eggshell that would be in hospitals but it was better than other options, I presumed. It could have been bleak and dark. A day had passed since my encounter with the savior, with Rika, and everything had returned to the routine that I had been experiencing so far here at Magenta. I would do my best to talk to the RFA and when I wasn't talking to them I would walk up and down the halls for something - anything that would help me when I come together when a plan.

Tonight, I couldn't sleep. I splashed water on my face over and over - but it did nothing for the rings that had formed over the many sleepless nights that I had experienced so far. My phone went off next me all of a sudden and I jumped. Cold water was never enough to make me fearful - I pinched myself and checked the phone. The ID said it was Ray. I carried it with me and set it down on the bed before I crumble against it. I hit the speaker button since my arms felt too weak to properly hold it upright very long.

He sounded tired. "...Hello? Oh, you're not asleep yet. I was wondering whether you were you awake or not. Sorry to call so late."

"That's alright. Is something the matter? You sound upset." I asked.

"No, nothing's wrong... I just... I wanted to talk to you. Actually, I called you because I'm scared of falling asleep. I'm having bad dreams these days. And I'll end up screaming and bolting awake." He replied. Was he unable to escape his night terrors on his own? My lip curled underneath my teeth as I chewed at it.

Nightmares that woke you up in the middle of the night where you couldn't stop screaming - that was the true terror that many people could hold no fight against. I knew that terror very personally, there was a lingering shadow of a man behind him - always smirking and telling me I was no good - but to be able to face the demons in the dreams was always hard. Sometimes it just was easier to wake up and escape the fear. "What kind of nightmare was it...?"

"It's a dream where I go back to my childhood. You see... I'd dream about going back to my mom's house and getting locked up in a dark room. I can see Magenta right there out the window, but no matter how hard I hit the window and wave my hand, people outside can't see me. And when I keep hitting the window, my mom would scream that I'm making a fuss. And then she'd whisper to me... You're being more and more pain in the back, you bug, just die. Just go ahead and die. You're better off dead... Hah, now I feel like I made you uncomfortable. I'm sorry. I tend to stare blankly on my bed for a while when I wake up from a scary dream. When I sit alone in a room full of darkness and no sound... I feel like I'm left behind all alone. It feels like nobody ever wants me. But you don't know what it feels like, do you?"

The only light in this room was the illumination of my phone screen. I listened to him talk but it hurt to him to express himself this way. I knew he and Saeyoung hadn't had it very well, but it was difficult to hear from Ray himself in his own words.

I wouldn't tell him I knew fear. He didn't need to worry about something that had happened to me when I was over it. He was the one that needed compassion the most, tonight. "Don't be scared. I'll stay with you." I told him.

"I want to believe you," Ray mumbled. "I want to stay in your arms whenever you tell me that. I'm trying to hold myself because I'm scared you'll hate me if I do that... But I can't help longing for your words. Do you know that whenever I listen to you, I feel like I'm not a useless person? Whenever you comfort me... I sometimes think that maybe I'm a very little useful. Because when you talk about something about me, that means you had found that part acceptable. So I think... perhaps whenever you're talking about me is fine. I feel a little better talking to you like this. I think I won't have any bad dreams tonight... if I fall asleep like this."

"Do you... Do you want me to help you get back to sleep?" I asked him suddenly, an idea in mind. "I mean - I don't want to you to stay up all night if you feel bad. Nightmares are never real things. But, I think I know something that might help you feel a little about them."

He hummed in response. That was enough to let me know that he was exhausted. Rika was running him ragged. Ray was tired - I doubt much-made sense to him in this state of delirium. "What do you mean...?"

"When I was younger, my sister would sing lullabies to me when I had trouble getting to sleep. I can do that for you... I mean if you want me to that is." I trailed off, unsure.

"I've never had somebody do that for me before," Ray admitted. "My childhood wasn't very fortunate... but, don't feel obligated to do something for an airhead like me, Lila."

"Shush. You're not an airhead, okay?" I shushed him. "I don't feel obligated. I want to do it for you."

"Oh... Okay."

I racked my brain for different melodies that I knew, but there was only one that stood out to me despite its somber undertones. It suited him, for one reason or another... Maybe I thought it reminded me of his brother and himself...? It was the only song I knew vividly, as my sister would sing it to me. " _The other night dear, as I lay sleeping... I_ _dreamed I held you in my arms... But when I awoke, dear, I was mistaken... So I hung my head and I cried_... _You are my sunshine, my only sunshine... You make me happy when skies are gray... You'll never know dear, how much I love you... Please don't take my sunshine away_..." The other line had gone quiet as my voice trailed off.

I stared at my phone and laid there in the still silence of both sides of the phone call. I waited for him to say something... He did not. The sounds of soft breathing were all that was left. If he had been fighting himself to not sleep, I should have expected him to fall asleep before I could finish the song.

"...Good night, Ray. I hope no nightmare plagues your dreams anymore." If only I could say the same for myself.

* * *

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Oh Wisteria!

 **Wisteria:** I can see the stars tonight, what about you? A few shooting stars have passed my window.

 **Yoosung:** Look at the time... I think a human day passes way too quickly. I had a dream and Jaehee was super busy. Jumin suddenly had to go to a meeting and she had to take on his work as well

 **Wisteria:** Oh my goodness

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** I think I saw her working nonstop.

 **Wisteria:** That's her reality, I believe ;; It's so overwhelming its transferring to other people. Hey Zen!

 **ZEN:** Wisteria, I see you're chatting with Yoosung ^^ I happened to be looking for him. Yoosung, Jaehee didn't even login once during the day.

 **Yoosung:** Wha?

 **Wisteria:** I'm actually worried about her, now you've mentioned that.

 **ZEN:** same here...

 **Yoosung:** Don't tell me... Do I have some magic power? SHAKING HEAD EMOJI

 **ZEN: lmao** I think you hated Jumin, deep down inside just... like me. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Did you know there's barely a line between love and hatred? They are almost the same thing...

 **ZEN:** And this difference you're talking about stands for at-least-hundred-differences-termed-as-a-difference, right? ^^

 **Yoosung:** But, I don't really hate Jumin. There's no much I can learn from him. He's living as a victor.

 **ZEN:** A victor...?

 **Yoosung:** in this twisted world!

 **Wisteria:** This world is dominated by the capitalists... the world where chaos is defeats sentiments

 **Yoosung:** Yep. That's what the world is.

 **ZEN:** You're having a sentimental night again, Yoosung

 **Yoosung:** Yeah?

 **ZEN:** I really really need your dark energy.

 **Yoosung:** I'm not dark lololol

 **ZEN:** Let me have that energy plz

 **Yoosung:** I'm having the time of my life lol Why should I? lol I buy food from convenience stores I have a place to sleep it's fantastic!

 **Wisteria:** Yoosung, if you want to help Zen out. You should go over to his place

 **ZEN:** Yeah, get yourself over here. I must work for my dream.

 **Yoosung:** Dream? I too... I once had a dream too. But now...

 **ZEN:** Man...

 **Yoosung:**...I don't know. I'm not even sure where I'm going... lol but the world will care more about my GPA than my dreams

 **ZEN:** hey

 **Wisteria:** Hey, don't be so low Yoosung. The sun always rises the next day

 **Yoosung:** Only darkness awaits in my future but the stars are so bright.

 **ZEN:** Yoosung, listen... I want you to grab those sentiments of yours into that hideous backpack of yours

 **Yoosung:** My backpack's not hideous.

 **ZEN:** and get yourself here.

 **Wisteria: woooooop** defend your choice of fashion

 **Yoosung:** Thanks lolol it's nothing lolol

 **ZEN:** hey get over here. now.

 **Yoosung:** I'm not going anywhere lolololol

 **ZEN:** I'm having rehearsal in two days and one of those days is about to end! I need those cynical sentiments of yours. You'll be a great help for me to complete my White.

 **Yoosung:** I don't even know what that musical's about lol

 **Wisteria:** Zen's your friend, Yoosung We have to each our friend when they're in need!

 **ZEN:** That's what I mean.

 **Yoosung:** I'm a busy man Zen lol I happen to be a busy student - busier then you think.

 **ZEN:** Yoo-sung Kim

 **Yoosung:** what?

 **ZEN:** Tell me what you want.

 **Yoosung:** I don't want anything... My life is pointless

 **ZEN:** I'll give you my beauty tips.

 **Wisteria:** I'll rescind my offer to teach you artistic means. Yoosung - help your friend!

 **Yoosung:** SIGH EMOJI I already have good skin - I don't need to wear masks And Wisteria, I think you're just kidding ;;

 **ZEN:** ugh... I knew this wouldn't do. But I understand. You don't even try becuz' you can't even dare look like me... CRY EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** SIGH EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Think of something that Yoosung really needs. That might sway him

 **ZEN:** I know he likes cooking, um... so I can do this to help him look good-looking like me... I can plot you a full diet plan.

 **Yoosung:** Zen, I'm not interested in those kinds of things

 **ZEN:** Try saying that after a couple of years, Don't you dare hope that your body will stay the way it is now.

 **Yoosung:** I'll think about that later

 **Wisteria:** ;;; Yoosung you can't put off the future forever

 **ZEN:** Yeah. You should listen to her.

 **Yoosung:** You shouldn't dare hope that you can give something that I really really want.

 **ZEN:** Man... just get away. You're starting to sound like White. I knew it. White is like you.

 **Wisteria:** Can't you just help Zen out for a little bit, Yoosung?

 **Yoosung:** He's going to be busy nagging me if I go.

 **ZEN:** I won't. So come on over. Please? Let's grab some cucumbers and practice.

 **Yoosung:** SIGH EMOJI Only cucumbers? I'm not going.

 **ZEN:** Yoosung, what do you want out of me?

 **Yoosung:** I don't think there's anything you can do for me lol

 **ZEN:** Can't my photos suffice?

 **Wisteria:** he's not interested in your looks, my friend

 **Yoosung:** yep. Show me you're serious

 **ZEN:** I am being serious What do you want from me?

 **Yoosung:** if you really need me...

Hm. Oh, there is one thing that's bothering me

 **ZEN:** Oh. What is it?

 **Yoosung:** but I don't think you can help me.

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI How come? I can.

 **Yoosung:** It's about school stuff.

 **ZEN:** I was a good student until middle school

 **Wisteria:** Hear him out first

 **Yoosung:** I'll tell you what it is since you're curious, Wisteria

 **ZEN: ok**

 **Yoosung:** My professor said that he'll replace the next exam **with a group project...** but I didn't study anyway, So I'm afraid. I might be a burden to the rest of the students.

 **ZEN:** group project?

 **Yoosung:** Yep...

 **Wisteria:** Don't you think Zen can help you with that?

 **Yoosung:** I'm not sure... Don't you think you're judging him too high?

 **ZEN:** I might not have gotten as much education as you did but... Just what is this project about?

 **Yoosung:** Summarizing the book's contents to give a presentation to the whole class.

 **ZEN:** What's it on? If it's in music or drama. I think I can help

 **Yoosung:** Math.

 **Wisteria:** lololol I'm out

 **ZEN:** lmao that's unexpected

 **Yoosung:** See? T-T Told ya you can't help. CRY EMOJI

 **ZEN:** Hey... Uh... uh Where is it due?

 **Yoosung:** In about three weeks.

 **ZEN:** I can't help you but I know a person who can

 **Yoosung:** Who?

 **Wisteria:** Somebody good?

 **ZEN:** yep

 **Yoosung:** Jumin?

 **ZEN:** No... It's my insurance planner.

 **Yoosung:** CONFUSED EMOJI What? Are insurance planners good at math?

 **ZEN:** yep this one's no joke. He'll tell everything how much I can get, depending on the injury, and how much I'll get compared to other insurance companies

 **Wisteria:** Sounds pretty good.

 **ZEN: yep** He'll even tell me how much I'll lose or gain. If I enroll in an insurance that expires when I reach 60 years of age with even the future market price in a discount in the account.

 **Yoosung:** I don't know much about insurances but...

 **ZEN:** This guy majored in math.

 **Yoosung:** What? Srsly?

 **ZEN:** yep

 **Wisteria:** Then you're definitely in good hands

 **ZEN:** I'll ask him to help you.

 **Yoosung:** Oh...? Why don't we invite him to the party?

 **ZEN:** That's a great idea lmao

 **Wisteria:** Send the info to me when you get the chance ^^

 **ZEN:** Great, then I'll contact him. HAPPY EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** But srsly, is it okay for you to ask an insurance planner to help with your friend's group project?

 **ZEN:** yep I'm his best client, I've enrolled in the greatest number of insurances.

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Why... Why would you enroll in so many plans?

 **ZEN:** You never know what will happen in the future You gotta save when you can and prepare for the future.

 **Yoosung:** whoa...

 **ZEN:** And I want to be ready for the woman I'll meet in the future

 **Wisteria:** Well, it's better to be prepared then not ;;;

 **ZEN:** HAPPY EMOJI thnx lmao I live alone so I know very well that insurance is the only thing I can count on when I'm sick lmao

 **Yoosung:** Zen... I think I know why you're having a hard time with White.

 **ZEN:** You do?

 **Yoosung: Yes.** Wisteria, can you see why?

 **Wisteria:** Yeah. Zen, it's because you're a nice guy;;; It's hard for you to tap into dark elements when you yourself aren't so edgy

 **Yoosung: Somewhat.** Take a good look at him.

 **ZEN:** So what's my issue?

 **Yoosung:** In my case, my dark energy comes from the lameness within

 **ZEN:** Oh?

 **Yoosung:** Your problem is that you're not lame enough.

 **Wisteria:** ;;; you're saying

 **ZEN:** well I'm just getting started lmao

 **Yoosung:** I'm counting on this insurance friend of yours. Anyways! About what I said on lameness I'll give you the details... when I get there. Are you in a hurry right?

 **ZEN:** I am! Hey catch a cab and be careful on your way here

 **Yoosung:** Fine... I better wear something black to suit my dark energy lol

 **ZEN:** sure thing lmao

 **Wisteria:** Don't waste any time

 **Yoosung:** He'll be the one who's sorry if that happens I'm going now.

 **Yoosung has the left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Man... He's actually going to come over to help I think this is all thanks to you. You encouraged him

 **Wisteria:** I'm not so sure that's the case.

 **ZEN:** Hey now don't be so pessimistic! I'm an actor. I feed on positive energy. Man... I think I need coffee. I'll be working myself off practicing and I can't afford to lose concentration...

 **Wisteria:** There goes the hope for sleep, huh?

 **ZEN:** You're right but I can do this! And now... I'm off to concentrate.

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

* * *

Sleep wasn't happening.

Everytime I closed my eyes and tried to rest - that man stood there in my mind and I couldn't get away from him. I fought for a long time but failed. It was around midnight when I decided I couldn't take being alone anymore in this room.

Ray had not dropped by, he had not even messaged me since the early morning, and I was worried for him. He was struggling in the middle of the night... The thought of him struggling with his memories and his tasks at hand, it made me worried. My worry was I couldn't be sure he was in good spirits either... Sure, he seemed to calm down after we talked. He had gone to sleep and I felt better about him. His days were always loaded with things to do. I couldn't be sure of what he was doing right now - only driving himself into a pit.

That was when I left my room in search of the garden - after all, I had been granted access to roam most of the building by the Savior herself. This evening could bring me a moment to think - to breathe - think about what was coming and what I could do. My feet were barely out of the doorway when I was stopped by the sight of Rika, and a flock of Believers following at her side. The whips of her long hair, the look on her face, the way she held herself despite her stature.

It was clear to me that she was the only one in charge.

"Step aside, please. The savior is coming through."

Rika noticed me in waiting. She raised her hand to silence this man at her left side. "No... She's fine. For paradise, Lila. It's a beautiful night tonight, don't you think? Are you having trouble sleeping?" Rika asked the look on her face made it seem like she was concerned for me personally, but I knew that was not the case.

"Oh, no, that isn't the case." The name left my tongue in a distasteful fashion. She was no savior. If I said the wrong thing, I feared, I would he greeting death much sooner then I had anticipated in life. "Um, Savior... Where are you going?" I asked.

She didn't notice the slight slip in my voice. "I'm headed to the worship chamber. Tonight I'll be in the lead of the evening worship service. Would you like to join me? It wouldn't be too bad to meet the new believers... No, wait. You're on a special mission, and since you're gifted with a special privilege, perhaps it'd be better for you not to meet the fellow believers just yet."

She mused this. "You'd be lonely for a while, but please stay as mysterious as you are now, Lila. Once you gain a thorough comprehension of our system and accomplish several feats in your current duty, I'll grant you executive position right away. I'm pleased with your accomplishments in the messenger. It's the greatest joy that Ray returned to his place. He's never seen someone so attractive like you from the outside, so apparently, he got sidetracked. I'll make sure there's no problem with Ray. I'll keep my eyes on him, so don't worry. I hope... You would do your best for our paradise, Lila. Now I must leave. For eternal paradise."

* * *

Rika's words were heavy on my mind after she left. There was so much here - so many people and this place hadn't even been in operation for very long. Her control over her words was nothing was mastery. She was just as real as the monsters from my nightmares and I couldn't run forever.

They would catch up with me one of these days.

My legs took me out of the building after some minor wrong turns, there was something wrong about standing where she stood after hearing her ideas revitalized. I had been outside for at least ten minutes when I decided to linger just a little longer - a little extra bit of freedom but I tied myself back down to the unknown. It was calm. It was quiet.

I was not bound by walls and whispers. Crickets would chirp when the evening would crackle. It truly was beautiful outside. I didn't have to worry about anything when I got lost like this. You can always trust nature to have your back, I reminded myself. Here - here my nightmares wouldn't reach me.

That man would never reach me. I let out a little sigh before it all began to dissolve into unresolved panic from the nightmare that lingered no matter how hard I tried to ignore it. _"Lila... Lila, did you think that you could get away from me that easily?"_ My body turned to the sound of the voice but nobody was there.

"You're not here," I whispered.

There it was again. His voice. The one that I had long left behind for my own safety. _"I'm always here. You'll never be able to get rid of me. Isn't that what you want anyway? You're the one that always cried when I left you. You want to be hurt that's why you follow people like me."_

"Lies," I repeated to myself.

 _"You'll never find one who cares like I do. You think this one cares? You're so naive and trusting of a friendly face. He's just using you - like I used you. You're just a toy to be broken, easy game."_

"No." I breathed. It was an echo of a word that I knew best. This wasn't going to happen tonight. "No. No. No. No. No. No."

I wasn't going to listen to this nonsense now - I wasn't going to let him control me - not now, never again. I needed to get somewhere. I didn't want this voice. I didn't want to be alone again. I didn't want to hear this. That was enough to make me turn tail towards the building - my legs carrying me back the way that I came and I didn't expect to run into anyone but I did with a thud.

"Huh. Are you...?"

I almost lashed out against him. It was Ray, I couldn't see most of his features in the dark but I knew that was him just by the sound of his voice. If I thought a ghost was back to bother me - I was mistaken this time. I sighed, sheer relief starting to numb the worry.

"Oh, Ray!" I was relieved he was alright. He had sounded so miserable when we last talked to each other..

"Is something wrong?" He first inquired, as I took a step back from him and dusted myself off.

He could tell that I wasn't. That fake laugh that I had was weak and wrong. "Of course not." There was enough indication by the leftover tears. I shook my head. "I'm okay, now anyway."

Ray was clearly nervous to see me. He was fiddling with his hands and refusing to meet my gaze. "Lila, um, you don't want to see me, do you? Is that why you're upset? I'll get back to my room now." Ray murmured.

He turned and took a step forward away from me but I found myself calling out to him. I felt like one of those children who ran to their parents room after they saw something in the dark, a little pitiful as I reached out. "Wait, Ray - That's not true... I'm not upset because of that. I'm happy to see you! Um, actually - could you, could you stay with for a little while?" I took that step forward and he turned his head to look back at me.

I didn't want to be by myself.

Ray hesitated. His lips set into a frown. "Can I...? You won't hate me even if I stay with you? I thought you'd be despising me because I ran away like that - like a coward. But, your eyes seem to tell me that you don't. Am I correct?"

He didn't want to be alone either by the look in his eyes. I shook my head. "I don't despise you, Ray." Who would have told him I would hate him? I didn't need to wonder... I knew the answer.

"I see... I knew it. Uh... I shouldn't tell you what I think. I'm not supposed to tell anyone what I think. I slipped again. I dared to tell you what I think...! I'm such an idiot. I'm such an airhead." His eyes began to swell up with tears as he spoke to me. He opened his mouth once more, assumedly to insult himself once more.

I raised my finger to my lip. "Shh, ssh. Hey, let's just sit down for a little while and talk okay...?"

* * *

We were sitting on a bench in the gardens - together - I was on one end and he was on the other. The gap was enough that neither of us would break it this soon - having each other in company was enough for now, I figured. It was a clear night in comparison to the past nights - The sky was above us and the stars wrinkled.

"Did you sleep well last night?" I asked.

"Ah... I'm sorry I fell asleep on the phone." Ray said.

I laughed, for some reason he sounded embarrassed and it made me feel a little better about myself. "That was the point, Ray. I wanted you to get back to sleep. Though, I wasn't sure I sounded that great."

"Like an angel," I heard him mumble underneath his breath.

"Hey, I'm no angel," I shook my head. "But I appreciate the compliment so thank you very much. I stayed on the line for a few minutes just case you woke up again - but you didn't, which was my goal. I wanted you to get some rest last night. You are feeling better right?"

"I am." He confirmed.

It was quiet again. I didn't like the silence even if Ray was here with me. "My favorite color is mauve."

"Huh?"

"My favorite color. It's mauve," I said. We both needed something else to think about then the past - than what had been going on. "It's a pale purple that has hints of pink within it... It's unlike Magenta because it has more hints of grey and blue in its tonal quality. It's descended after the French word, Malva, which means mallow flower. It's soft to look at it, but purple as a color has always had multiple meanings. Just because something appears soft doesn't mean its weak."

Ray was staring at me but I was looking skyward. "What about you?" I asked, turning my face back to him. "Do you have a favorite color?"

Ray's shoulders slumped. "...I don't really have a favorite." He said.

I figured that might have been the case. Instead, I asked. "What about flowers? Do you have a favorite flower?"

"Lily of the Valley," He whispered.

"The return of happiness," I recalled. A poisonous plant that could kill but it held such a pleasant meaning when it bloomed. "Isn't that what it means?"

"Yes," Ray nodded his head. We looked at each other, and he began to speak again about it. "The... return of happiness. One day I... I like to think that I will have that someday."

"You will." I murmured.

"And yours, you love Wisteria." He directed a question in my direction. "Why Wisteria? It's a climbing vine that destroys environments despite it's fascinating beauty."

"That's the thing, Ray. Wisteria... In flower language, it endures any thing that comes it way and overcomes. It can entrap your garden and overgrow if you don't handle the vines with care... It seems to swallow itself up with branches and branches even if it doesn't need so many." I looked down. The pavement had cracks where it had been poured and that was safer to look at than Ray.

"It pushes itself to gain more control, and that can harm others and it in the process sometimes... But it will endure. It endures pain. It lasts threw a lot of means against it. I decided I would be like the Wisteria. I would endure and one day show the world my strength despite the odds."

"That's why... I use that name." I admitted.

"I don't want you to have pain in your life..." Ray told me. "You don't deserve to be sad, not like me."

"Sometimes we have pain, but it's nothing to collapse into and let it control you," I whispered through the thicket inside of my head. Always find the light as fast as you can, at any cost, at any rate,, that's how you survive. "The darkness is nothing to let overtake you."

Ray was quiet. "I've never seen anyone like you before, Lila."

"What's that supposed to mean? You know I'm just like any other girl on the planet." I laid my hand on top of his. "Be honest, I won't be angry."

"The first time I saw you I decided you were otherworldly, like an angel beyond my understanding... Forgive me if I sound too strong with my feelings..." Ray said, something about the way he was phrasing himself made me wonder. Was he somehow able to get in touch with my information and my universe by some means? Had he somehow been able to see something - like, when he knew about a painting that he shouldn't have. "Different... Like, seeing colors that don't exist for the first time - like a new dawn - a very visceral experience."

I cocked my head to the side. "Oh."

"The savior thinks you're important because of that too, that's why you were chosen for this mission specially." He said quietly. "You're a mystery to me beyond my code, I want to learn more but I'm scared that since I'm so stupid - I'll do the wrong thing again... I'll make you angry. I'll make you cry. I don't know enough to know what the right thing to say is. All I know is the kindness you've shown to me."

"I only know little things about you - I may your likes and dislikes and when you were born but I don't know enough - I don't know how to make you smile all the time - I keep thinking that I'll do something wrong again and make you hate me." Ray shook underneath my fingertips. His breathing was uneven again, and I could hear him stifle a sob as his body wracked with grief and anguish.

"I'm so stupid. I keep thinking that I want you to embrace me even now. I thought about that when I visited you earlier. I kept thinking that I wanted to tell you everything I'm having a hard time with. I don't deserve to that... No matter how much elixir I take, I can't stop thinking about you. My eyes hurt, and my head hurts... If I find you, Lila. I keep having weak thoughts... that I'll get a little better. I don't deserve to do that. I'm useless... unless I work without stopping. I keep thinking of the way you look at me. It hurts every time I think of it."

I reached out to him with my weak smile. It pained me to hear somebody like him talking like this. "Please don't beat yourself up... You're free to follow your mind and heart, Ray. That's your right as a human being. There's nothing weak about caring for someone."

It was too close to home.

Too close to my own heart.

Self loathing at its core was something I had long known but it wracked my body with pain to hear anyone - especially someone like him - who had only shown me kindness this entire time.

Ray shook his head.

"No, no... Nothing will work if I do as I think. Only bad things will happen, and you'll leave me. I shouldn't do as I think, I need to endure all of this pain and difficulty. I can take it. I can take it all. I'm just going through a bit of pain, that's all. You shouldn't hear my whining. You can just turn and walk away. But... Just don't get too far... Don't leave me completely. You can be mad at me if I'm frustrating you. You can throw stuff at me. I deserve that. No, you should be mad at me. If I can at least be your punching bag...!"

I couldn't take his self-loathing - Ray was not a screw up in my eyes.

All that he had gone through and all he was fighting proved otherwise. He was very brave to still be standing here. He sounded like this was a part of his mantra he told himself daily. He hated himself. He insulted himself. He refused to believe any good existed in himself even as I tried to ease the words inside of him. This was the kind of self loathing you couldn't crack down.

I wanted it to crack faster.

"Ray... Ray! Stop doing that! Don't talk about yourself like that anymore! I can't stand to hear it!" The words came flooding out in a distressed shout - so bold so loaded - I couldn't believe I was telling somebody not to hate themselves.

My hands pressed against his shoulder as everything just came out. "Stop tormenting yourself. You're not worthless! You're okay just the way you are, okay?! I wasn't ever going to leave you - I promised! We're friends! I care about you! You've been avoiding me and suffering alone. You don't have to do that - because, because I'm here too. We have each other! So, look at me... please?"

"Lila..." His eyes met mine at once. Through the flood of my own tears I could see the confusion on his face.

"Because when I look at you I only see somebody I admire." I admitted.

I broke the distance between the two of us and did something - something I thought would be tangible enough for him to understand me. I leaned forward and I stole a kiss. It was a short kiss. Our lips barely touched for a second and a half, but at that moment I just wanted him to soften his tone and forget about those lies he thought of himself.

When I pulled back, his eyes were wide and his cheeks were turning pink.

"...?!"

Ray lifted a hand to his face and felt the hot intensity. "What was that? Was that some kind of punishment? Or...I... I don't think I get what you meant by that. But... It's making me feel hot and dizzy... I need cold water... Sorry. Forgive me. I need... My body is acting weird." He stammered.

Ray sprinted away before I could tell him anything.

"Ray, wait -" I raised my arm after him but it was pointless. It flopped back down to my side helplessly when he disappeared from my view. "It was... just a kiss."

Raising a hand to my face, I could still feel the lingering feeling of his lips as my fingertips ran against my lower lip. My face was just as hot as Ray claimed to be feeling on the inside.

Why did I do that?

The only kiss I had ever received was from a... failed relationship, and I hadn't shared one with someone since that ended. I avoided people, I only conversed with my family since that period of time and he was dragging me out of the hole I dug myself into like it was nothing - like it was absolutely nothing. Was it the way he looked at me? I wondered.

Could it have been the way he radiated when he talked about things he liked? His smile, even? There was so much about him that I didn't know. My thoughts for so long had been focused on trying to do something - something to pull him away from this darkness that. No. I had pushed myself into trying to rescue him that I hadn't even noticed my own feelings budding. I was incredibly wrong to think this whole time I wasn't attached.

I was following a white rabbit down a twisting tree trunk and there was no guarantee madness did not await me. Maybe I am walking a tightrope over the flames... but for some reason, I can't turn around and jump to safety. I'm not sure why I wanted to keep going. With the sky overhead and a rare smile on my face, I felt happy for the first time in a very long time.


	11. Chapter 11

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

 **INTERLUDE 2: Takes place during Chapter Nine.**

* * *

"My savior."

Claude offered her a lustrous bow.

"Oh, Claude, you needn't bow like that every time you enter my chamber." Rika stared at the man with a hint of amusement. The man had a flair for the dramatics, he might have given Zen a run for his money if he were younger. The elixir had shown him the truth of the world, and he had taken well to it.

His darkness was powerful. He revels in it... much like her own. A tumultuous life he had lived, so it seemed. Ray's background in search of him proved he was a man who needed to be saved, who could be useful for Mint Eye, and someone to keep articulation and diction could sway anyone who was suffering. Mint Eye wasn't built in a single day and few paved the for the ultimate solutions.

He was of use much like Ray.

"You only deserve the utmost respect, my savior," Claude informed her as he rose back up to face her. "A true Queen of our darkness."

"You understand loyalty so well," Rika praised him. "You are proven much stronger than Ray as of now... The poor child. He's lost right now because he thinks he's developed feelings for your daughter, I don't worry too much... Ray will soon discover the error in his ways and rescind her."

Claude shook his head. "My apologies for any distress she has caused, savior. She always was... a fool."

"No, no. She's done just what I expected thus far... She will be of much value to me when her mission is complete." Rika said. Her hand resting on her chin as she thought in silence.

"Is it possible she isn't as motivated as I hoped? I wonder. She was wandering the halls earlier on her own instead of doing what she was needed, but I won't worry so hard given her success thus far. I wonder if she needs more encouragement, however... after all, hasn't it been some time since you have seen her?" Her lips curled into a smile.

"Yes, my savior. It's been a number of months. Do... Do you want me to test her loyalty?" His eyes sparkling with the need to delight. He would do anything for the young woman that saved him.

Anything.

He would even toss his youngest daughter to the dogs if she so commanded him. It was all between of those green eyes of hers... The power they held, and the very person that they reminded him of.

Rika considered his words. It could be useful. She knew. It just wasn't the right moment just quite. "Not just yet. You may meet her for a short time this evening, remind her of her duties for me with your reunion, will you?"

Claude bowed his head. "Of course. For eternal paradise."

* * *

Claude watched her room closely from around the corner that evening, she had yet to leave that room so far on this day from the code surveillance he had checked, but that wasn't to deny that the door to that room hadn't been unopened at all...

The strangest thing occurred, that he witnessed. Ray was pacing back and forth in front of the door for five minutes at best. The door opened and he disappeared inside after that... He had been carrying something in his hands, maybe another dose of the elixir, he pondered.

It was possible his savior had ordered for this, she told Ray things at times she did not share with Claude. Savior knew best.

However, that boy needed to be doing his job in the intelligence quarters at this hour and he knew that.

His daughter wasn't ugly by any means being cut from the same cloth as his two other daughters, they were fine young woman. However, Ray had become increasingly fond of her and it seemed she may be luring him astray - rather than the other way around. The Savior was worried and had already made a gentle point to her. That didn't seem to be enough. Wisteria had a kind heart, but she was a fool. She always had been a fool. Ever since she was a very young little girl - she always followed down the wrong path - Wisteria looked at the world around them with such wide eyes - eyes that had never known pain until she walked right into it.

It was a shame nothing had gone right with that fine young man she had been with before her own body image issues overtook that relationship and she ruined it - those once wide eyes were gone and replaced with ones that knew the truth in the world for a moment but even now, she still looked at the world as she did as a child. Now, she was trying to ruin that boy that the Savior had worked so hard to care and to nurture.

So, that's how it was?

"I'm sorry, Lila." He heard Ray tell her.

Ray left not long after entering the room - it was only a brief moment that they had spoken to one another but it was enough for him to go from. His walk taking him down the hallway opposite Claude. Claude watched his retreating figure and decided to give it another hour before he approached his daughter - she was just a stone's throw away and she deserved another moment to herself before he approached his precious youngest daughter. He had, anyway, until the morning to see where her heart and trust lay.

"You always were a fool." He said to himself as he watched her peak out from the door and look for Ray. "That boy is no better. I wonder what she'll think when I speak of this."

* * *

 _2 MONTHS AGO_

 _"How are you this evening, Ray?"_

 _Ray looked up from his computer and looked back at the man. He shifted in his seat. The monitor in front of him was left unattended for a moment. "Oh, hello... I'm alright, what are you doing here so late?"_

 _"A surprise, my boy. You know how you've been unable to find the right person for your mission?" This was the moment that would define how they would change Paradise._

 _Ray stared up at him, curiously._

 _"Here," Claude dug something from his coat pocket and handed it over to Ray. It was a small case with a photograph - It was a photo of what he assumed was Claude and a young girl, but it didn't quite look right. There was something distorted on the image that he held - this was very odd. What kind of mastery had been done here that could do this? Or could he be feeling something from the elixir?_

 _No. No._

 _It was doing what it needed._

 _This was just something that he had never seen before. This was normal. Just a trinket of the past that Claude had left over from his time spent in that other place that he had been researching for the Savior. "I've never seen a photograph like this before... The savior said you brought these from where... you're from though." Ray looked at the photograph in his hands and then back at Claude. Truly, it was amazing the people his savior had gotten to join them in paradise. They come from all walks of life, rich or poor, from one side of the country to the other. But, this man, he was otherworldly. "What's this for, Mr. Claude?"_

 _"I thought you might say that." The man leaned back in his chair as he conversed with him. "Aren't you curious about the people into the photograph?"_

 _"This is... you," Ray concluded as he mused the thought over. His eyes were in a bit of a trance and dulled. The elixir was still feverous in his system this evening but he could blink away the sensation if he tried hard enough. Ray focused on the photograph. That must have been Claude - and there was another person in this photograph with him._ _"But this girl - who is this?" She had brown hair and brown eyes. It was unlike the man in front of him in many ways and yet very similar. He had shaggy blonde hair like the Savior, but his eyes were the same as hers. Her hair was tucked back out of her face and she wore a classy dress as they stood in front of a vintage looking household._

 _Ray had never quite seen anyone like her before. He hadn't seen a girl his age before at all, either... Only his savior and save a few of the older believers. He tore himself from the image and looked back at the older man._

 _"She's the one who's going to help you on your mission, don't you think? I know you've been looking for perfect candidates but this is a matter that we want you to think about." Claude informed him with a grin. "However, there's a small thing you need to do to bring her to paradise. You see, there are some very specific conditions you need to fulfill to bring her to paradise and it all starts with this." A phone was laid against the table next to the photograph. "The connection to where she is - it's only open during the witching hours. She's from a place that knows much misery and is no different from the outside world here that the Savior wants to protect you from."_

 _Claude chuckled. This was the starting point - the moment in which no one would be able to ever turn around and change. "The poor thing may look happy but she's very miserable where she is. She knows much pain like you and that's a shame when you can bring her to this place. Don't you think a girl like this would be great for paradise?"_

 _Like him?_

 _He didn't want that pain for anyone._

 _"Yes," Ray finally murmured. He hadn't been able to tear his eyes from this girl. "If people from places such as that are suffering, then they deserve to know paradise."_

 _"Good boy," Claude praised with a quirk of his lips, pleased for this to be working out so well. "You can keep that photograph if you want - I know how interesting it seems to you."_


	12. Chapter 12

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

TEN

"A Fateful Encounter."

* * *

I stood there in the hallway and couldn't take my eyes away from the looming figure in front of my room.

The hallway wasn't dark, the lights overhead were still on so I could gauge who this stranger may be... He was tall, but he wasn't anyone that I thought I knew here. It was like he was waiting for me to return to my room... I didn't know who this hooded figure was but my stomach told me that it wasn't somebody with good intentions.

My legs carried me down the corridor despite my fear. I had seen demons and devils underneath friendly faces, I would walk the fire. I stood a few feet away from him when I finally stopped in the hallway.

It was just me and him.

The figure greeted me with a wave of his hand. "For eternal paradise, Wisteria."

"Who are you...?" I asked carefully.

"Oh, dear... I haven't been gone long enough for you to forget my face, have you? You always were my special flower... I suppose this might help." The hood was lowered and a face was revealed. It was a familiar set of blond hair - brown eyes - and height that towered over me. "Dad..." My breath was caught in my throat. He really was here. He was here at Magenta. "Dad, what are you doing here?"

He was dressed similarly to some of the other believers that I had seen around the building when I left my room. Although his differed in the sense of color, stripes of purple hues were there. A color that I was very familiar with as it varied from the Magenta hints that I noticed on the others - this was darker, closer to blue hues then it was the reds on the scale.

He looked as he always had, but there was something underlying in his eyes that I couldn't identify. The color of his eyes were my eyes, brown as a tree trunk and but they weren't soft as they once were. His hair was blond, the color that my sister had inherited I had not. I had my mom's mousy brown hair that I pinned away with a bow so it wouldn't cover my eyes.

I longed for it to be down, however, I wanted to hide my face.

He looked well shaved and his clothes weren't in shambles like the last time we saw each other. Dad looked physically like he was okay - like he was healthier than he had been but his words were leading me to believe it was a falsehood. Something was very wrong with him.

"Were you surprised?" He asked. Dad took a step forward and I took a step backward from him. "It's been almost eight months since I saw you, Lila... or should I say, Wisteria? You've been using the name I gave you even now - I'm so happy you think well of me. From what I heard from the savior - you're doing good. I thought you didn't care for that name anymore though."

I couldn't believe what was in front of me. Although it was plain as the moon in the sky. It was even more jarring then what had happened with V... because I long believed him and the others to be fictious - but my Dad, he was real. He even dared to call me that name when I had reclaimed it for my own.

He didn't pick that nickname for me.

I did.

I had to focus. I had to change topics, "Dad, they couldn't find your body in the river. We... We searched for you for weeks. You were declared dead, we had a funeral for you and everything! Why didn't you try to come home? Why are you here?!" I pleaded with him for an answer.

We had a rocky relationship, in my eyes, but that didn't mean I wanted him to be someplace like this... it was terrifying.

"...The same reason you are, my dear Wisteria." He said simply with a shrug of his shouders as if it were no big deal. "For eternal paradise."

My legs felt like they would give way any second... I had felt like I was on top of the world and nothing could harm me only a few moments ago. I was with Ray one moment and content, now I was staring into the eyes of a man I had buried into the past.

He should have been at the bottom of a river.

I took a step back away from him. A mantra kept playing in my head the whole time: This wasn't my Dad - This was not my Dad - This wasn't my Dad - This was not my Dad and at last - _This couldn't be my Dad_.

"Here, you can give into your demons and nobody will judge you in Magenta. We're all suffering and here, we can survive without worrying about the judgement of others from the outside... Like, your Mother... She was very cruel to me, even to you and your sister, Wisteria. That's why I left that home and found my salvation here... I was lucky when the Savior found me wandering nearby and offered me an opportunity to bring you here."

The real story, I knew, he left home because he was dealing with severe withdrawal symptoms from the medication he had been getting on the streets after the doctors stopped giving him anything... He grew agitated, angry one night and he just... left.

His behavior changed from that of a kind man to an angry person who only cared to have his way and get what he wanted with nobody stopping him. My interactions with him had been slim after I moved out of our home, but the few times i saw him near the end were poor.

My Mom had been trying to get him help and Dad refused to take the opportunity to get himself back together... The last anybody saw him alive was on the pier on the outskirts of town.

The bridge that I had been standing on the moment I first appeared in this universe.

What I did not know was how he got here like I did.

Dad paid no mind to how I appeared, distraught or not. "Although, you've taken well here. I've heard great things the past few days about you. I'm overjoyed. You're even helping Ray with his big project for the Savior, and doing better then we expected of you."

"Dad, please." I wanted him to stop.

"I thought you would be a great asset. You're a kind girl and unassuming... Of course, I don't think the Savior told Ray much about you besides how useful you might be. I would hate to see your new budding relationship destroyed if he were to find out more about what you've done to yourself in your life so far. He might just pity you, oh dear, that wouldn't be great. After all, don't your own mother and sister treat you different now...?" His smile was crooked.

His words were underneath the surface threats.

He was no different then Rika the way they alluded to punishment, they made it sound like how awful an accident might be if it happened and if you didn't do what they said they would rip everything out from underneath you. I knew this in my mind but... speaking my mind in front of men that I knew held more power then I did was damn near impossible.

It was a flaw of mine and my Dad was one of these men, even now, when he shouldn't have been standing in front of me. "You don't know what you're talking about." I stammered, unable to find words that I could use against him. "Just stop talking please."

He only laughed at me, and continued to speak. "I do. I've gone through pain just like you, and I only want what's best for you here. This is a grand reality here, we only want to share this with you. You've already had a taste of the elixir of truth, haven't you? Was it an euphoric experience? It was for me... I can't wait to see how long it takes for you to come to grips with our side of things."

I would never come to grips. "Dad, I don't understand!"

He only stared at him with a bemused expression. "You will soon, Wisteria." Dad looked at his watch and made a humming noise for a moment as he counted the numbers to himself. "Hmm. I promised that I wouldn't take too long with my visit, I'll have to cut it short here... It was great to see you again, Wisteria." He paused, taking a few steps forward and glancing back at me over his shouder.

"Oh, and, do keep in mind that Ray's devotion is solely to our savior, my dear. I know you're a desperate girl who wants affection from people and that can control your choices but you should know when to stay in your place for your own good. Unlike you, that boy does what he's told like a good child and accepts punishment and doesn't run away."

My eyes were lined with fear but I stood my ground.

"Where have you been this evening?" He asked me in a low whisper.

"On a walk," I said. If this was a game to be played than I would have to stand my ground. "There was nothing more to it then that. I've been hard at work for the past week and I deserved a moment to breathe."

I could only assume he was searching me for lies... but he seemed to accept my words for what they were freshly. "I don't think you would lie to your Dad, Wisteria. What a relief... I was worried your devotion differed from the goals of Mint Eye for a moment."

"I... I need some rest." I told him.

"Of course, have pleasant dreams, soon may you understand what you do not, for eternal paradise."

The moment the door to the room shut behind me and I was left alone with with my thoughts. I sank to the floor and held my hands to my mouth to stifle the noise. "Oh my God... _Oh my God_..."

* * *

Panic. Fear. Loathing.

A day passed onward and I continued to chat in the chatroom with the RFA, but the most concerning thing was that I hadn't heard from Ray in twenty-four he dropped by at least once but I was beyond fearful. Ever since my father had shown himself and alluded to things higher then my knowledge I was... near petrified.

I had dissolved in a panicked state and had laid there on the floor for I wasn't sure how long before I crawled into the bed that night. My skin crawled, my eyes burned and the feeling of dread hung over me like a cloud. If the RFA noticed my lack of enthusiasm I wasn't sure. I was trying to keep my thoughts clear and stay focused on my goals. It was hard, though, sitting here alone in the unknown.

When I felt low, I dipped into dull thoughts.

It may have been early morning but I had found myself standing in front of the mirror and staring hard at myself. If anybody saw me, they would see a girl who was small, lithe, my figure just at the brink of starting to return to a healthy size... when I saw myself, I saw visions of myself much larger then I was and then I would see myself before that... _jerk_ happened to me.

Ugly, too big to be beautiful - not good enough to be deserving of anyone's love. Comments like that were what I had been trying to ignore for so long. I was and had been trying to turn my life around ever since I got out of that mess, but there were times like this when I alone that I saw traces of the past in the mirror.

I had never seen anyone look at me the way that Ray had... I had only seen that look in myself. Fear. Fear of people stronger than you. That might have been why... I was so desperate to keep him safe, to keep falling further into the brink of darkness. Was I selfish in that way? Because I saw pieces of myself in him? Ray wasn't like me though. He didn't look in a mirror and hatr his body for the same reason that I did.

"I am pretty." I reaffirmed to myself. "I am not ugly. I am not too fat. I am not what I think when I feel like this. I am alright right now. This is just a trick by my mind and that's okay." I breathed in and out. My heart rate was considerably better then it had been hours prior, and I shut my eyes to remember something better then the current situation.

A phone call I had with Ray.

 _"Oh, no... She picked up... What, what do I do? Uh, hi? Wait, no. Wrong word... Hello? Sorry... I started thinking about you and suddenly, I called you by accident while playing with my phone. Sorry. I couldn't sleep... so I was taking pictures with my phone. I like taking pictures..." He trailed._

 _My lips curled into a smile. Had V been teaching him photography before all this? "I didn't know that. Would you show me?"_

 _"Would you like to see? But I don't think my pictures are good enough to show you... I collect pictures of flowers and trees. So I can get a sense of time around me. And with my pictures, it feels like the passing time has become mine... I don't want to lose even a second of the time I spend with you. Actually... I want to take pictures of you instead of these. What do you think? Pictures are the only way for me to memorize our precious time together... So I want to fill my album with your pictures..."_

 _I couldn't help to laugh a little bit. "I'll take some of you as well." I said._

 _"...Me? You will? I... never thought about doing that. But... I want to have a picture of myself... from you. S-so then... could you tell me before? I want to do my hair again and wear nice clothes. After all, it's going to be the very first picture you'll take for me. Even the thought is making heart warm... Where should we take it?"_

 _"What about the garden?" I inquired._

 _"Oh, that's right. That'll be perfect. We can take one with the flowers. It would even better... if we can take it with the lily of the valley. I'll work much harder. Once I wrap up this task well... I'll be able to stay with you as long as I can. Now that we're talking to each other... I miss you even more... I've never felt this way before. You will stay with me forever, won't you?"_

 _Would I?_ _It was too soon to think like that._

 _"I want to be close to you for a long time," I said instead._

 _"That makes me so happy, Lila!" He beamed. I could hear it through his voice. "I'm so glad you think so."_

 _"Ray..." I asked._

 _"Yes?"_

 _"Do you ever think... Well, do you ever see something different for yourself?" I said. "I know you... Value your work for the savior and all, but is there something you want to do for yourself?"_

 _It didn't matter how silly it sounded. Sometimes something small can make the biggest impact on somebody and you wouldn't even realize it._

 _Ray was quiet, quiet for abnormally long moment as he took my words in and thought it over. "It's not my place to think like that but..."_

 _"Humor me, please?" I whispered._

 _"I think it would be nice to go out to an ice cream parlor with you." He mumurmed in admittance. "In the city, where we could hold hands and I could share_ _my ice cream cone with you. I'm not fond of picking flowers... But when I see this I always envision you with a crown of beautiful flowers... I'm sorry... I just sound foolish... Those kinds of thoughts are wrong." He trailed._ _"Oh... The savior is looking for me... I need to go. Have good dreams. I only wish you sweet dreams. Bye..."_

"Maybe someday, Ray." I sighed wistfully.

Across the room, my phone buzzed with the announcement of someone entering the chat room. I stared at it... I debated even opening it. Funny, the only thing that I had been using my phone for was the search feature and the RFA messenger. I couldn't bring myself to check anything else out.

I just opened it and closed it many times to no avail,, but this time I entered the chatroom to check out what who was online.

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee** **Kang:** Wisteria, I see you haven't gone to bed yet. I'm sure you must be tired... but it's a pleasure to see you. Because that means that now I have company to share my bewilderment with. Have you read the chat log from Zen and Yoosung's chat? QUIET EMOJI

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yoosung... You're going to imitate Mr. Han...? I do not welcome that at all having a copy of my superior

 **Wisteria: ...** , I can um, see the error in that.

 **Jaehee** **Kang:** I do not wish to see Yoosung different from an undergraduate we know, either. He might want to cosplaying once in his life, but still... I'm concerned about Zen. His acting is important but his mind and body come before that

 **Wisteria:** I think we just trust him for nowIt may be working out...? I trust them

 **Jaehee Kang:** We'll have to for now, since the deed's already done... Yoosung, I don't believe you will be able to imitate Mr. Han to perfection so I'd like to ask you to make sure you keep the limits just so you can help Zen...

 **Jaehee Kang:** Look at me. I'm opening my emails at this hour. ^^

 **Wisteria:** Jaehee, you shouldn't work too hard either. If you're tired you should get some rest

 **Jaehee Kang:** I will do that, after I take care of something,I tend to awake to the slightest of noises. It's because of my job, should I say...? In fact, I happened to be asleep a few minutes I woke up to a call. It's from the new assistant.

She was so excited to start working at C&R and I couldn't help rummaging through her emails through the night, and then discovered an email from the prime minister's office and she called in complete alarm. Since there could be trouble if Mr. Han's schedule fluctuates again.

 **Wisteria:** What... was that email about?

 **Jaehee Kang:** The email held no important news, thank god. It said that the prime minister was deeply impressed by my superior and now he's looking forward to Mr. Han's success in the future. So I thought I could return to sleep in peace but then I read about Yoosung's preposterous plan and I could not help logging in.

 **Jaehee Kang:** But thanks to that, I could find a chance to talk to you.

 **Wisteria:** It is nice to chat with you, Jaehee! ^^ Um... Have you any news on the hacker, per chance?

 **Jaehee** **Kang:** According to Seven's latest report, his attack rate decreased compared to yesterday. I must say that's the least of the relief...

Oh. which reminds me the intelligence unit will be tracking the hacke rstarting tomorrow. It will be another busy day tomorrow, so I must get some rest now. When do you play to get to bed, Wisteria?

 **Wisteria:** I'm not sleeping well either, unfortunately. It will be a while before I get some rest haha

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're staying awake at this hour...? It seems you have a lot on your mind... if you have difficulty sleeping you'll fall asleep in no time when you read. I hope you find that helpful.

 **Wisteria:** I work late at night too often. I know the exhaustion you're feeling - it's just hard to sit still sometimes.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Consider my suggestion. I hope you'll have some better habits soon this is exhausting. So Wisteria, I'll log off now. Have a good night.

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

I closed the chatroom down and flicked through my apps mindlessly. I had not played on my phone in a long time. I had just dabbled in the chatroom as long as I could and then left it be. Eventually, I settled on looking through my gallery of photos, I never took many photos... usually all I had was my work.

It was too bad my photo feature was disabled in the messenger. I think some of the RFA might appreciate seeing something like my art instead of Zen's selfies and Seven's cosplay photos.

I opened my gallery and almost dropped my phone in recoil - I set it down on the table and took a step back. "What the fuck?" I breathed. My shaking fingers picked it back up and stared hard at the slew of photos and back down at my own hands. "The pictures are still in tact...? It's not two dimensional." The next thing to check was the camera features.

I opened the camera and this time, I dropped my phone against the bed. The image was set in the style of this world. Everything was set to the cartoon style - This was insane. What the hell was happening?

* * *

The camera stayed down from that point. I didn't want to think until the phone beeped again.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** lmaoooooo Oh lmaoooooooo Wisteria lmaooo you're here lmaooo

 **Wisteria:** Is something going on? I don't think I've seen you use that many "lmao''s before.

 **ZEN:** Oh lmao Look at him! It was so freaking hilarious I had to take a picture lmao My hands wouldn't stop shaking from laughter, so I had a hard time taking it lmaoooooooo

Yoosung had a poorly placed wig on his head a suit that was not even properly buttoned up the right way. It was looking like a bad cosplay. I wanted to laugh so hard so I couldn't breathe. What the he'll were those boys up to?

 **Wisteria:** OMG Yoosung!

 **ZEN:** That's what I'm saying lmao

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Welcome

 **Wisteria:** Have... have you two been kidding around like this all night long?

 **Yoosung:** Yes, that's what we did.

 **ZEN:** Mr. Kim sir lmaoo sorry but lmao you make a really bad imitation

 **Yoosung:** you slept through your entire practice session Do you think you deserve to laugh?

 **Wisteria: Yoosung you're killing me plz**

 **Yoosung:** I know no such thing as a break. The only thing I aspire is the best efficiency.

 **ZEN:** Oh? Lmaoo Now that sounds a bit like Jumin Han.

 **Yoosung:** thanks to you I had to waste my precious time waiting for you to awake.

 **ZEN:** lmao sorry about that T_T I couldn't help it. I lay down and the next moment I blacked out T_T I'm going to practice for real now

 **Yoosung:** Then I'd like you to be serious, please.

 **ZEN:** But t's so darn funny since I know you're Yoosung

 **Wisteria:** That almost defeats the purpose of the practice ;;;

 **Yoosung:** If you're not interested in getting my help I will leave for the internet cafe.

 **ZEN:** Oh but wait a sec lmao I think for some reason I get it now, I think I got my answer from the fact that you can't be Jumin no matter how hard you try

 **Yoosung:** Say what?

 **Wisteria:** Yeah, if you pretend to be someone you're not it might just give you trauma instead of what you intended you know?

 **Yoosung:** That is true... the ultimate truth.

 **ZEN:** lmaooooo

 **Yoosung:** I'm trying to be serious with you, but you're not taking it seriously

 **ZEN:** lmao Come on try some more. I think I get it now. Here bring it on Jumin Kim - I mean Mr. Kim. Let's get it started

 **Yoosung:** Please insert coin to start.

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI What? lmao

 **Yoosung:** Insert 500 won to continue

 **Wisteria:** omg yoosung I can't right now

 **ZEN:** My head isn't working properly either. What do you suddenly need money for?

 **Yoosung:** You must not save your assets if you seek to master White.

 **ZEN:** OH Is that part of your concept?

 **Yoosung:** Basically.

 **ZEN:** Fine. I just put 500 won on the table.

 **Yoosung:** Just so you know I'll be heading to an internet cafe as soon as the amount reaches 1500 won.

 **Wisteria:** You should stay with him till the end if you're really there to help Zen, Yoosung

 **ZEN:** Yoosung Kim if you're running away

 **Yoosung:** I'm going to be in charge of this practice session, so you should just cooperate.

 **ZEN:** Say what?!

 **Yoosung:** We'll get started in three please excuse me.

 **ZEN:** haha

 **Yoosung:** Wisteria, Now I must leave

 **Wisteria:** Oh, yes, sir, Mr. Kim. See you later!

 **Yoosung:** Nothing can best the sweet buns from convenience stores.

 **Yoosung has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Man... don't tell me, he's not really running off to internet cafe, is he?

 **Wisteria:** I hope not ;; I'm glad you guys are having fun together. I'm gonna need to catch my own breath here. He got me too

 **ZEN:** haha Thank you for being so positive. Ugh... this guy's marking the countdown... and that's pretty similar to the CEO-in-line. I should get ready too. I need to be serious. Wisteria wish me luck! lmao

 **Wisteria:** Remember to keep your straightest face and all will be well

 **ZEN:** I should just get a grip and deal with this... see you later!

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

* * *

I answered my fell phone after I logged out of the chatroom, it was Ray, I thought he may be feeling alright. But the voice that came through was loud and broken. "Hello? Is that you? Is that really you? I'm not hallucinating, am I? ...Can you hear me? Please don't hang up! ...Don't hang up, please, please don't." His words were sharp. He sounded confused, disoriented.

"Ray...? Are you okay?" I asked slowly.

He was crying. Crying about the pain. "Huff... My head... It hurts... so much. It's hot. I think it's going to burst. Please, don't leave me. I'm too scared. I'm too weak... I should rather be gone...! There's no place for me in paradise... Please, just let me stay in the corner. This is too painful... I just wish everything would go away, my past, my weakness... No one would torture me if I am strong... So I should make myself gone in that tiny corner... I'm too weak..."

"Ray, you haven't done anything wrong. I'm right here." I affirmed.

"I'm too scared... I should rather be gone. That's right... perhaps I shouldn't have breathed alive in the first place. I must be gone to our salvation... No... No! I want to stay...! I want to see you so much... I want to stay with you... Paradise... Paradise... I'll do anything for our paradise. So please... please let me stay alone in that corner. Lila... I miss you. But I need to be gone for you to stay in the paradise... Please, leave me here... I'm too weak... and you... should be happy..."

The line went dead.

"Ray... Ray? Ray!"

* * *

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** Wisteria. I heard that there's no further movement from the hacker.

 **Wisteria:** I'm really worried V. I think something happened and... Breathe. I... I shouldn't talk about this here but I'm so worried.

 **V:** I'm afraid I'm not sure either. Not yet. I'm doing what I can as fast as possible. So please give me more time. I apologize that I'm not fast enough. I'll be on my way right after I attend this appointment to come in a moment.

 **Wisteria:** Here, you mean?

 **V:** I'm afraid we can't discuss that right now. But still, Wisteria since you are chatting with me that means you're safe right?

 **Wisteria:** I'm fine. That's not the problem not right now I'm afraid because somebody has gone .

 **V:** Understood. It is best not to discuss much here. I'm terribly sorry that as of now. I cannot unravel all of your questions.

 **Wisteria:** Why is it you're always bound by these troubles? You don't really deserve all this mess alone you know.

 **V:** That's because I'm nowhere near good enough. I'm terribly sorry. Jumin engaged in quite a complex discussion just before. I think... he pointed out exactly what I lacked. As for me I changed myself so abruptly at some point in my life However, I was not ready for that change. And it leads to trouble far from secure.

 **Wisteria:** I'm sure it's not all your burden here. More people are at blame.

 **V:** I appreciate your words. Nevertheless, I have no intention of turning away from my faults. I've always thought that Jumin is more mature then I am ever since we were children and I think that's because unlike me, he'd accept the world just the way it is. When I was in pain because of my mother he comforted me while talking about what happened without the slightest modification or euphemism...

 **Wisteria: He's your best friend, after all.** **He's always got your back.**

 **V:** He and I... We were true friends who could treat each other with true hearts otherwise our friendship would have ended ages ago. To me... Jumin has been the window of truth. He wouldn't jeopardize or beautify my existence but shed light on me just the way I am. But it looks like I still haven't matured yet.

 **V:** Even now I am hiding things from him and it feels like my duties are multiplying for me to carry alone. And my heart is heavy for I fear that you'd take all the damage from my burden. I'm so sorry. I'm sure you're going through much more then I am.

 **Wisteria:** I know you're worried about me, V, but I'm okay. I think it's best to admit when you can't do anymore alone and ask for help.

 **V:** ...I appreciate your suggestion. I'll think about it thoroughly... Do you think maybe I have difficulty accept my imperfections as they are? What if that idea that I cannot remedy everything by myself is not an idea but a truth so daunting that my heart refuses to accept it?

 **Wisteria:** Look inside yourself, V. You need some self reflection most of all.

 **V:** ...I'll try. Thank you. I'll think about it myself, but... I'm afraid whatever decision I make would lead to someone's pain.

 **Wisteria:** Maybe you should take a moment for yourself right now.

 **V:** I wish I could do that but I believe I must wait for it. That prime minister I met yesterday will soon visit my workplace.

 **Wisteria:** Something's fishy about him... He might be hiding something.

 **V:** If he is hiding a secret perhaps that secret would compound your danger. Wisteria, may I ask you a question? Do you think... my obstinacy to make the daffodil bloom is a futile struggle to deny my fault?

 **Wisteria:** Nobody's perfect... It's your struggle to keep if you wish. Just know any flowers that floundered underneath it will suffer no matter what.

 **V:** Understood. Thank you for your reply. I envy Jumin. I wish I could be at lest half-mature like he is so that I wouldn't hurt those who trust me.

 **Wisteria: Good luck.**

 **V:** Thank you for your kind words, despite the circumstance. I know I am being shameless... but I believe you can make it through this ordeal. It appears our conversation is taking a depressing course. And you must be the one suffering from the greatest confusion.

 **V:** Huh? I can hear a car outside. Is he here already?bThat was faster than expected...

 **Wisteria:** Good luck, again.

 **V:** Thank you. I'll be on my way as soon as this appointment is over. Please give me some more time.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:** I just hope... I just hope it doesn't go wrong before you can get here.

 **Wisteria has left the chatroom.**


	13. Chapter 13

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

ELEVEN

"The Stillness of the Unknown."

* * *

It was the evening when a believer dropped by my room and I stood there in the door frame eyeing him down in speculation. It wasn't a face that I knew but anyone here could prove to be someone not to cross very quickly. Nevertheless, I did my best to keep a small smile on face.

"For eternal paradise. I'm from the lost and found department. Is this bookmark yours...? It looks handmade. So we are looking for its owner." He informed me as he tugged something from his pocket. It's the one that V dropped in the scuffle the other night. The name Saeyoung is on it... _Saeyoung_. It's one of those bookmarks he had tried to give to Saeran but it was just too much for him to see.

My heart sank at the sight.

It belonged to its rightful owner and it could be of use in the future. So, I told a small fib with that fake curl of my lips. I nodded my head, "Yes, actually, it's mine."

The believer seemed pleased but almost every face I saw here was like that. They looked happy - content - but it was a joyous state of false happiness. They were not happy only convinced wrong. "I'm glad the item has returned to its owner. The flower, the name... It doesn't look like an average bookmark. I hope it isn't lost anymore. Now excuse me." He bowed his head.

I reached out to him - my hand falling to my side soon after. It was hard to focus. It had been too long for me to be comfortable not hearing from Ray. These people here knew more than I did when it came to what was happening in this place. "Wait - Um, have you seen Ray today?"

"Oh... did you not hear?" He turned back to look at me, "Mr. Ray is currently undergoing his cleansing. You must be shocked to hear this. After all, he's your comrade in the special mission. But, you will get to see him soon as his cleansing is complete. I hope this time he can completely adapt to the Mint Eye's rules. Since the savior is quite fond of him, I'm sure he'll be back as a good believer. Now, I must leave... For eternal paradise."

Cleansing.

Cleansing.

They took him to a cleansing. It echoed in my mind. They had taken Ray away. Were those threats my Father mentioned actually true? Was this what he mean? Rika had found out about him - about how he felt and possibly what he was doing with me - and it was likely my fault that he was suffering now. My fault.

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Aaaaah! CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Something wrong, Yoosung?

 **Yoosung:** sob sob T-T

About what Jumin said... so the reason why I'm insecure-slash-lame is becuz' I pretend to be a grown up when I'm not? I am so not gonna accept that! CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** It happens to us sooner or later. Don't worry so much about it right now - I mean we are the same age, Yoosung. You change as you grow.

 **Yoosung:** Will I? I can be a completely different persononce I get a girlfriend I hope T-T

 **707 has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** It's Seven

 **707:** Hello Princess Wisteria and Yoosung Boy.

 **Wisteria:** You aren't as insecure as Yoosung, right, Seven?

 **707:** nope. I do get insecure just like Yoosung boy...

 **Yoosung:** SIGH EMOJI Don't call me Yoosung boy..

 **707:** You gotta admit it

 **Yoosung:** What's wrong with you? T-T

 **707:** I'm lame too

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **707:** Let's just all accept it and deal with it okay?

 **Yoosung:** What do you feel insecure about?

 **707:** Me no has status but me pretend I haveand play tough lol

 **Yoosung: ...**

 **Wisteria:** Your bluffs on are such another level my God ;;;

 **Yoosung:** Tell me about it... That's different from my lameness.

 **707:** I'm different in every way possible

 **Yoosung:** Seven... You don't actually have problemwith your status, do you?

 **707:** WINK EMOJI I'M ACTUALLY

He sent a photo of himself in cosplay, with a little seven zero seven tacked on his metallic suit made me laugh. The situation that was going on may have been worrying me, but this talk would calm me down. I hoped. He was kind of cute like that, but I always wondered where he found the find to get these costumes made - be they for his missions or personal use.

I was a little jealous... if I were honest. His cosplay game was stronger then anyone's I had ever encountered.

"I shouldn't be laughing right now, but I'll admit that made me forget for a moment..." I mumbled.

 **Wisteria:**... Huh. I see what your type is. I knew it was like that but;;;; dream big my friend

 **Yoosung:** CONFUSED EMOJI What is this supposed to be?

 **707:** I'm no human.

 **Yoosung:** SIGH EMOJI Now you even pull something like this for cosplay?

 **707:** beep beep beep beeeep Mah' ID is 707 Extreme. This is my third status. beep beep beep beeeep

 **Yoosung:** Hey Seven that's not funny

 **707:** y?

 **Wisteria:** That's pretty srs.

 **Yoosung:** You gotta be careful. I read from the internetthat it's a special inspection week with people who forged their nationality or identity.

 **707:** Special inspection?

 **Yoosung:** yeahapparently, there are tons of people who make up their social status. But some people who were caught have such tragic stories. You can read them on SNS. So I'm feeling complicated

 **Wisteria:** Some people have good reasons for it... Though, why do you think so Yoosung? Since you brought it up.

 **Yoosung:** Since they basically risked their lives to do that...don't you think they have really desperate stories behind it?

 **707:** Did this special inspection start out of the blue?

 **Yoosung:** Yeah it's been going on for a few days but people say that they've never been this strict. They're looking for people who work under illegal status. They say it's for the better societal security... I know they mean well but I can see several people asking for help on SNS and internet articles

I pursed my lips. Are they searching for people under aliases? Why would they be doing that so suddenly unless... Wait. The government was involved and if they were looking for people in hiding - the Prime Minister must be inching closer to uncovering where Saeyoung is. This wasn't good for him. It wasn't good for Saeran either.

 **707:** Oh... you've never seen someone like me in those articles have you? lol

 **Yoosung:** CONFUSED EMOJI What do you mean?

 **Wisteria:** Oh wait. V wanted me to tell you about that Seven.

 **707:**...gotcha. I gotta ask him about it later.

 **Yoosung:** **Hang on.** Seven... What's the matter? Are you hiding secrets or something?

 **Wisteria:** Yeah, Yoosung. It's not like he has a secret family or anything, so don't bother him so hard

 **707:** I have no such thing.

 **Yoosung: ...** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** NO WAY. Seven - Do you have someone in your family who is

 **707:** Yoosung Wisteria wait

 **Yoosung: ?**

 **707:** gotta go bye

 **Yoosung:** So sudden?

 **707:** We are walking on a line after all. I need to check the servers!

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Bye... Seven... Is the hacker attacking again? Or is he or his family related to the inspection...? That's not it, is it?

Seven needed to have his guard up. Somebody might actually be able to locate him if he wasn't careful.

 **Wisteria** : I didn't mean to imply like that, but he left in such a rush. He's got his own secrets to keep, nobody's life is an open book you know?

 **Yoosung:** Seven is kind of mysterious... but he's mysterious in a way different than V lol Anyways I wanna go back to my games but I'm feeling too complicated to play another round T_Twith what Jumin said and what I read online

 **Wisteria:** The world will be a better place soon, right?

 **Yoosung:** Let's hope it will... Oh right. So V met the prime minister again right? Do you think he sold his photos this time? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** What I'm more concerned with is the prime minister's purpose...

 **Yoosung:** is there actually something to be suspicious about? He's only trying to do good, isn't he? Ugh. I can't even play games. So I'm gonna drop by Zen's and check whether he's doing okay

 **Wisteria:** I'm thinking he might throw a fit at you. All things considered

 **Yoosung:** I'm already ready for that and Zen can't hurt me. I'm younger than him lolol and he's so nice. And now! Bye!

 **Yoosung has left the chatroom.**

* * *

It was time for a nap - I decided that the moment I shut the chatroom and laid back against the bed. I was pulled I'm to the lull of my dreams which was safe from the fear I felt for Ray. Darkness and blurry dreams awaited me as I did. I soon found myself back on my Grandparents property in the middle of the woods.

 _"Wisteria. It's nice to see you awake this early."_

 _"Grandma," I looked back at woman. She had a plate of cookies that were freshly baked in her hands and a smile on her face. "Why are you awake this late? Don't tell me you've been baking in the middle of the night again. You know you're supposed to be sleeping and not making anything else for the shelter."_

 _"These are for the shelter, but those folks always need more food so if it were for them it wouldn't be a bad thing." Grandma scolded. She plopped down onto the front step next to me and set the tray down between the two of us. "Actually, these are for you, honey. You've been tending to the plants for me because of this dud leg of mine," She gestured at the boot she was wearing._

 _She had broken it going down the stairs during a rainstorm. That meant there were limitations to her labor - which was the second reason why my Sister insisted I spent my recovery time. The first reason was to just get out of the city for a little while and clear my head. I didn't mind doing helping out. It made me feel useful._

 _I looked down at the plate, unsure._

 _"Well, one little cookie won't make you gain weight." She advised._

 _That was a comforting thought. She was trying to make me feel better and I was okay with that. Her eyes held no pity or fear. She just wanted me to feel better again. I pursed my lips, thinking abkut it. "Well - these are your world famous chunky chips and you only make these for special occasions... So I couldn't just let them go to waste like that."_

 _I lifted one from the plate and took a bite. Chocolate. I could never hate the taste of chocolate._

 _"Now, why are you awake so late?" Grandma inquired. "Your Mom used to sleep through earthquakes but you're out here watching it rain at two in the morning. Are you feeling alright, dear?"_

 _"I couldn't sleep because... I was scared." I admitted in a little whisper. "I got worked up about nothing and I couldn't calm down. I thought I would be alright if I came outside for a little while."_

 _Grandma hummed in response._

 _My fingers dug into my palm. It was so dark outside tonight but the rattle of the rain was constant and heavy. "What do you do when you can't sleep? You can cook for hours and that makes you busy but I mean, what do you do when you feel like there's something you can't control?"_

 _"Well. You need to think about why you can't control it - what makes this thing so hard to think about and what you can do to fight it," Grandma advised. Her hand reached over and resting against my shoulder. "You can do that."_

 _"I don't know. It's hard to concentrate with all this chocolate."_

 _"Wisteria!"_

* * *

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** Wisteria

 **Wisteria:** Have you heard nothing so far? About the hacker?

 **V:**...I've been preparing as fast as I could...but look at the time. Yoosung is right... I didn't sell my works. ^^ It appeared that the prime minister is tremendously interested in us And I've logged in to relay something about that.

 **Wisteria: ...** Tremendously?

 **V:** He knows that we do good for society and he would like to award us with governmental commendation

 **Wisteria:** Shouldn't that be a good thing though...?

 **V:** It is a good thing, but...It hasn't been long since Rika passed away and to be honest... the future of the RFA remains nebulous. So Idon't think it will be wise to associate with the government or related people. So I wanted to ask everyone to tell me no matter what if somebody, like a political official, or someone in general, requires information about us.

 **Wisteria:** I know there's more to this then that...

 **V:** I'm deliberating

 **707 has entered the chatroom**

 **707:** V, Wisteria

 **V:** oh

 **707:** there's something weird about this hacker.

 **Wisteria: ...** Looks like he's working again.

 **707: But...** I'm not sure if I'm against the same guy.

 **V:** What do you mean?

 **707:** Something's not right about this hacker.

 **V:** CONFUSED EMOJI

Huh?

 **707:** His patterns different. It feels like I'm against a completely different person. I've come to tell you in advanced since no one knows what'll happen to the messenger.

 **Wisteria:** Different...? Are you sure?

 **707:** Well his ID is still the same but his pattern is completely wrecked.

 **V:** Thank you for letting me know, Luciel.

 **707:** sure and now I'm off for the defense

 **Wisteria:** The hacker behaving like a different person...? I'm concerned.

 **707:** I don't get it either. Wisteria watch yourself You don't know what'll happen. V. Call Jumin for me will ya? My hands are full right now.

 **V:** Will do.

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

 **V** : Though the C&R intelligence unit will soon learn about this.

 **Wisteria:** V, you're still... coming aren't you? I have a... I have this really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach right now.

 **V:** Yes, now I'm ready. Wisteria I'll call you on my way. I must hurry.

 **Wisteria:** I'll be waiting.

 **V:** Very well. I'll see you later.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

* * *

V called me not long after he had left the chatroom and I was relieved to hear his voice again. It was nice to hear a friendly voice when the world was crumbling around you. I was okay but this wouldn't last for very long and I didn't think it would bode well if Ray was here much longer... I wanted to get him out. Nothing should stop us this time. I could somehow get him out of here. I had to do whatever it took - even if V wasn't going to agree.

He was urgent. He asked, "Hello? Lila? Is everything okay? Tell me you're okay."

"I'm... okay, physically at least." I said. I had no wounds on my body and I was alright compared to some others - but mentally I was having such a hard time dealing with everything. I was an inch away from losing it. It was taking my entire focus just to hold my phone to my ear.

"That's... sell, better then I hoped." V mumbled underneath his breath. Yeah, he wasn't much better than myself either. He could say the very well same. "I'm near that building you're in now, but something doesn't feel right." He said.

"You're nearby? That's a relief. V, are you going to be able to get inside again? I know they keep watch at night but there's not many openings. How will you do it?" I asked him. I peered out of the window. Nobody on this side of the building save for a few believers scouring the grounds on a nightly patrol.

"Yes, once given the opportunity I'll find a way, but right now... The security outside the building has multiplied, and the atmosphere is quite vicious. There's no doubt something has happened in that building. I don't know what but something is wrong now. Lila, I will get in there no matter what it takes. Please, stay where you are, if possible. You shouldn't compromise your location with unnecessary movement. At least I know where you are, so please, leave the rest to me. I will protect you in whatever situation." He promised.

My hand rested against the cool glass. He was doing everything that he could for me. I had to trust him. "I believe you."

"I would hope you would trust me well. You're the only person I trust the most and maintain contact in secret. You're also the only person who knows about Luciel and Saeran. But the prime minister is after the both of them. In fact, he contacted me in order to figure out where they are."

 _He's coming after them._ I was fearful for not only Saeran but Saeyoung. Their father was a looming threat, always, but now he knew that V knew something - the RFA knew something about them. This was bad. "It made sense after I thought about it. If he's found you then, then..." I cracked.

"I know. I'm aware of what could happen. I figured you'd figure it out, throughout chatrooms. When I first met them, Luciel was risking his all in order to protect his brother, though Saeran was unaware of this. And that has never changed. He would often tell that he doesn't care what happens to him, as long as he can protect Saeran. I wish to protect him and the brother he is so desperately trying to protect. I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I wish I could tell you everything, but... Nonetheless, I thank you so much for keeping secrets about them." V paused, there was some rustling around him - the sound of wind and trees blowing around him.

"I believe it is a must that I see you as quickly as possible and talk about. Huh...?" A humming of static began to fill the background of the phone call - this had never happened before.

His signal must have been lagging. It was possible the remoteness of the area was diverted by systems that were up here? I stared at my phone. "V?"

The interference was growing, there was that bad feeling again. This wasn't the usual hum of signal loss. I realized it was different. "Oh fuck, don't tell me they're actually listening to my calls now. I thought I was paranoid for no reason but they can! Oh, God."

V was nearly gone. "Lila...? Hello? Bzztt... Lila, can you hear me? Bzzt... Hey? What... matter.. Bzzt... this... Hello?"

A new voice came through the other end of the cell phone. It was blocked by some of the blaring hums so I couldn't entirely distinguish the voice underneath it. Was there a modifier as well? Whoever it was, they were laughing at us, at the both of us for some reason. "Hehehe... How very fun."

V's voice was almost too faint to understand. "..llo?"

His transmission was cut entirely from my line of the phone call rather swiftly. The call was connected to someone else. The static died and that voice became all too clear to me and I knew who it was at last - the hair on the back of my neck stood up.

"I've been listening to everything here. You should choose your words wisely, if you want to buy more time to stay breathing, even for a second. I'm sure that's enough for you to get what's going on. Maybe not, since you're a moron. Stupid toy... I'll be there soon, so you just wait and let your imaginations entertain you. Hahaha."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

I'm tired and a little too low in my depression lately. I did manage to churn this up! So that's an accomplishment. Anyway! The sudden appearance of Saeran! Rather, the early version of Unknown we all know... Is she going to be able to handle what's coming?

Thanks so much for all the views and follows and reviews. I write better knowing others enjoy it!


	14. Chapter 14

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/26/2018.**

* * *

TWELVE

"Burn the ashes."

* * *

Warning: if you are uncomfortable with mentions of abuse please skip the first half of the chapter, it's nothing intense but be wary if you are triggered from this point on in this story.

* * *

I hung my phone up my call with V and not a moment after that, there was banging at the door.

I almost yelped at the sudden noise... Ever since this morning I had been feeling like something was very wrong. It wasn't very often that I felt a bundle of nerves like that. It was only when something was wrong. That call left me feeling vulnerable. Ray was the only one able to get a hold of these things, that couldn't have been him just now.

I nervously rose to my feet and took a few steps in the direction of the door. I knew there were believers outside my room ever since I had encountered my father. It could have been one of them. It could have been Rika. It could have been anyone except for the one I knew it was.

"Who... who is it?" I asked.

No response. Another row of knocking came in its place. It was harder and louder - I couldn't ignore it.

I opened the door.

"What took you so long?"

It was Ray... Something was off about him and I couldn't put my finger on it.

His outfit was different then usual... that was sure. He left the few colors he had and went straight to a monochrome theme. All black. Since the last time we had talked it was clear that something had happened to him... I hadn't wanted to put warrant to the threats I had received but. "Ray...?" I asked nervously. "I was really worried about you! You didn't say anything. I haven't heard from you in hours. Are you okay? You sounded really scared earlier."

His posture was different. He lurched around the room as took in the view. Ray clicked his tongue. "What a passionate welcome. I was really curious about you. But your face is so not my type now that I see you. Hah... This room smells strange. Is this your smell? It's only been a week since you've been here, and this room is already full of your smell. He definitely had his way with the decorations. He even brought you flowers like a good boy. Why can't he see that he'll end up becoming a puppet when he acts like a nice idiot?"

I could have sworn my heart skipped a beat in shock. Something was beyond wrong. He wasn't acting like himself anymore. This boy was crude and spoke without thinking it through - blunt and ill-mannered. I searched my mind for any answer I could sort through, but I came up with nothing on hand.

I stood there, staring at him and trying to understand this shift in his personality and appearance. Wait a minute. I thought.

Saeran eventually collapsed into the Unknown persona after the elixir had taken it's toll on his body, right? It could have been why he had been masquerading as Ray for so long too... He was hiding from himself in his own mind in an alternate personality, but unlike Ray this presence made me tremble in my tracks.

I hadn't heard from him in hours, a whole day and then some.

That believer told me he had been in cleansing - had they been forcing that... drug on him all day since our last encounter?

My father wasn't just telling me that things were going to sour - he meant it - that promise was proven to be truth. His words echoed in my mind like a gun. _"Unlike you, that boy does what he's told like a good child and accepts punishment and doesn't run away."_

"You're not Ray." I finally settled on my answer.

"Perceptive." He replied.

Ray strode back and forth, pacing as he talked with me. "I didn't expect you to be intelligent enough to figure that one. I wonder... what were you doing in here? I suppose you've been dreaming yourself happy with that idiot. Or maybe you were planning to use his naive feelings to rip something big time." He mused.

My lips were agape.

"Why do you look at me like that? Is that what you expected me to say? You look like you have so many questions you want to ask. As if I'm going to tell you." He stopped pacing in front of me and turned his head in my direction.

His lips curled in bemusement. "Tough luck, I'm not some teacher who tells you everything about your dumb questions. And I'm definitely not an idiot who would so desperately devote himself to you."

My heart was pounding in my ears and words were flooding out without planning - I couldn't know how volatile he could be. I understood Ray. He didn't hurt anyone. But this was someone new, something created out of pain. "You're an different personality, right?"

"Didn't I tell you I'm not a teacher? I told you not to ask me questions! Ugh - what an airhead. Huh... Are you trying to intentionally piss me off? Since savior told me to treat you 'specially' nice, I'll 'specially' tell you. I'm only going to say this one, so you should listen up. Ray is my creation. Only the pathetic and lamest part of me balled up to be him. I'm the real deal, me, Saeran, Ray is a fraud. So you will never get to see him again." Saeran scowled.

"You..." My voice barely above a whisper. "I don't believe that."

"Though my savior told me to do so... Great. I ended up explaining myself so nicely to you. This is sort of annoying. You don't think you're a real princess or something, do you? Haha." He cackled. Saeran approached me without a second thought.

Footsteps hard against the ground his eyes full of resolve.

I wasn't prepared for a scenario like this- I had never considered this as an outcome. He was coming at me with malicious intent. Where I once saw gentleness I now saw terror. He had been twisted into someone he was not. My body was acting on its own because I knew this situation very well - stumbling back until I could no longer.

My back was against the wall, _literally_.

His hand slammed into the wall next my head. "This smell of yours has been getting on my nerves for a while now. This room, your smell, I don't like any of them. But Ray told you that he likes it, didn't he? To be frank, I think I'm going to be sick. I don't like it at all. This room, you, everything. Everything is getting on my nerves. Don't you dare so blankly like some idiot. Now you look even dumber..." Saeran hissed. His insults came without a hesitation.

Not real. Not real. Not real. I thought.

I shrank down.

"Can't you show me anything interesting with that face? And those eyes of yours particularly really piss me off. Mind if you close your eyes for me? Oh, maybe I should blindfold you. That might be interesting enough if I can hold you down." Saeran mused, casually.

"St..."

I felt like I couldn't breathe.

It had been a long time since someone had me entrapped like this - no way out of this place - it was like I was back at that place again. Panic. The only feeling that I ever experienced in that place was panic. Any instincts I had were far from my reach, memories flooding my mind.

 _He was standing over me. His fist raised - nothing would stop it - but my arms were up in self defense already. "You won't be able to leave me._ _You think you would be able to survive out there without me? A fat-ass like you? You're so lucky I took pity on you for your pretty face. It's not like you'll ever find a guy who will treat you as good as I do either. Any other man would physically harass you-you're a big girl, huh, you can handle the truth."_

 _"... I know,'" I whispered, dejected, waiting for the blow._

 _"Don't go shooting your mouth off again like that ever again, Lila."_

"Please don't." I flinched. Something made contact with my face. It wasn't a fist. It was the smallest touch. My eyes snapped back onto Saeran when I felt his free hand brush against the hair in my face, and push it out of the way.

It was just like... I shuttered.

Was it really Ray? Or was it even Saeran...? All I was seeing was the memory of **_HIM_** in front of me. "I won't do it again."

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." It was jutted, uneven, fearful, pleading with him - begging the vision to not act out on the punishment. "Please don't...!" My words trailed off into nonsense that I couldn't even understand. The only thought echoing through my mind. Don't hit me. Please do not hit me. It was like I was a broken record. The same plead, the same line, over and over again. _Please don't_. "I didn't mean to mess up."

All I wanted to was protect him from getting hurt and I failed. What had they done to him?

"I... I... I..."

"That's what I like to hear, _begging_." Saeran leaned in closer - so close that I feel the ghost of his breath against my skin. His hand pulling my head back so I would be forced to look the eyes. "Now, where's that _fat-ass_ princess who told Ray he was something useful?"

The word rang in my head over and over.

Fat.

Fat.

 **Fat**.

"Lila, I know it was you. You tried to get rid of me by saying all that weird stuff to Ray. Do you think you could use him like some puppet? Hahaha! What a combination of idiots. Too bad, your time is up, princess. Can you show me a sad face? Huh? Come on, try it. How about an angry face? Hmm? Come on, do something to entertain me more!"

I was anything but myself. My mind wasn't clear - the fear was growing - I dug my nails into my skin to ground my mind to my body. This wasn't the past and Saeran was in front of me. He was the threat and that man wasn't my threat. I found my voice, it came out shaken and unclear but it forced its way out. "This isn't like you, you're not this spiteful or cruel?!"

"You do think you're from a world of fairy tales, princess. Why would that bug- like someone disastrous like you?" He stood there as his shoulders raised in a mock shrug motion. As if he were bewildered, then he shook his head.

"I don't get it. No, wait. I get it. You two must have comforted each other. Because you're both idiots. Idiots who let themselves get hurt. Geez... Now I'm really getting annoyed... what good are you? You're good for nothing." Saeran leaned in closer, his eyes meeting my own.

My lips parted but no noise would come.

"What? You've got something to say? Did you just realize what a useless human being you are? No way... You should know your place from now on... and be silent like a grave. And don't make me notice that you're breathing. You'll get on my nerves if you shiver like that! Stop shivering. Ugh - this totally sucks. Why won't you just listen to what I say?" His voice elevated as he spoke, an enigmatic rage, was all I could describe it as.

All my body could do was flinch at this... Saeran seemed pleased to have gotten this reaction, my breath was uneven and his lips curled into a smirk. This was not the boy that I had come to know thus far. He was a completely different person to Ray. This personality must have been built for pain.

"Should I just bite your head off or something? Hm... Don't move." Saeran trailed off. Before I knew what he was doing, he had already sank his teeth into the crook of my neck. It was abrupt - painful - I cried out in protest.

 _Why is this happening!_ My body panicked before my mind could catch up. Old memories and new flooding into my mind- reminding me to fight back against this. It was a knee-jerk reaction, I pushed against him with all the might I could muster but he wouldn't back down.

"N... No..."

"Haha. Hey, that tickles. Are you trying to push me away? Haha... Did I scare you, princess? Too bad. I've barely begun... You shouldn't freak out with this. I wonder if the marks will stay until tomorrow. I wonder... I should check tomorrow morning. I'm not sure if you would understand I'm saying, but let me tell you this. You'd better start using your head and think of a way to make me not hate you." He laughed, a heartless laugh.

It was far beyond the soft chuckle I had garnered from Ray.

Saeran wasn't done just yet, he continued. "You should be an interesting toy if you want me to keep you company a lot. Right now you are no but. Seriously, you're useless. Oh - that's it. Your face changed. Haha... Hahaha! Show me an angry face. Huh? Come on. Try and provoke me. Make me mad. Mess with me. Come on, try it. Hmm. I'll play with you..."

"Why are you doing this?" My voice no higher than a whisper. "You don't have to go this far."

Why?

Why had it ended like this?

Why had I not been able to make a difference?

They had gotten to you so deep that the talons holding you down were almost undeniably stuck.

"Because," He merely shrugged as if it were obvious. "I guess you don't understand being an airhead and all, I hate repeating myself. You're beyond your usefulness almost - the savior is keeping you on a tiny thread. You should find it in your best bet to please me and by extension the savior by doing your damn job."

"...Saeran." The name butted from my mouth, unused but not unfamiliar, was that what he wanted me to call him now?

Not like Ray... Not like Ray.

My skin burned where his teeth once were.

His face twisted. "It's disgusting to hear you say my name so pitifully like the princess you are. I almost want to puke... Oh, crying now are we? I knew it wouldn't take much to knock you from your high horse. You should cry! You're so weak and stupid. You walked here without even thinking." He insulted, name after name he slung my way thinking he was winning by his words. It was like knives driving into my back every time he struck out. "Airhead, pathetic, useless."

I sank lower to the ground with each word.

It stung - it hurt to him hear talking like this but it didn't hurt the reason I thought it would. He waa screaming every insult that Ray had ever given to himself and he was pushing it back onto me. It was Saeran one moment - and the next all I could see was the ghostly outline of Jason. A man I desperately wanted to forget.

Saeran laughed. He was high and mighty. "Seriously, I knew you're just a nuisance. I'm sure I'll have some fun if you make some trouble. For example... beg the RFA for help. Yes, something like that. Do you mind trying? Then the savior will say that you'll need cleansing too. I'll be the one to do that for you. It's going to be so fun! Hahaha! I know how to draw out the maximum pain in the process. I've done it a lot... curious, right? It's going to be so good. Should I tell the savior that you're a naughty girl?"

My eyes widened as I looked up at him blinking through the tears.

"Don't you fucking stare at me like that!" Saeran's expression was hard to read at that moment, but whatever it was, he turned his head from me and kicked my leg while I was down.

I bit down my tongue - cutting back the noise of pain that wanted to leave me. "Jason, no!"

Then... nobody moved.

He was quiet.

I was quiet.

It was silent.

He grunted. Saeran threw his arms to the side, like a child throwing a tantrum. "I was going to toy with you again if you started whining like an idiot with those tears. But now you're just boring. You're no fun - and I'm not playing with a boring toy. I'm leaving. I'll be back once I get bored again." The door slammed behind him with a resounding thud.

"Hey. Don't put anything in this room! This is a toy room that will keep my toy stashed up. Oh, and... make sure my toy stays put. Keep your eyes on her."

My hands covered my face. "Why is this happening again?" I pleaded to the sky.

Toy.

Toy.

 **Toy**.

* * *

I was in the corner of the room, the farthest from the entryway and the only spot I felt like I was safe at the moment. My thoughts were scattered but I wasn't hyperventilating anymore, which was a very relieving sign when it came to handling my situation better.

My phone began to ring and I stared at the screen.

707.

It was Seven.

It was Seven!

My hands fumbled as I reached forward and hastily drew the phone to my ear to hear him on the other end. "Hey. Huh... what's wrong with this? Hello, Lila?" Seven was there but there was a heavy amount of static on my end.

I rubbed the tears from my eyes as best as I could and tried to speak with him as loudly as I could manage without drawing attention. "Seven? Can you hear me on your end? It's imperative you get a hold of V as soon as possible, okay? Please tell me that its about the party!" My eyes darting left and right. I couldn't talk too loudly if he could hear me.

"Sorry? What? I can't hear you. Can you say that again?" It wasn't clear. He couldn't hear me. Shit.

"Look, you need to tell V that the party has to happen, if not I...!"

"What? Te... Tell? Tell what to... to who? This can't do. I can't understand a word of what you're saying. Can you hear me? I think this call is being jammed! Disrupted!" He went quiet underneath the static.

"I can!" I told him whether he heard it or not.

He clearly could not. "Can you hear me... or not? A superbly skilled person who can cause disruption to the messenger I've created. I don't know if you can hear me but I'll say it anyway. I think someone is trying to jam our messenger. I'll look into this! So even if we can't be reached, don't worry too much but calm down and wait. Got it? I'll have to look into this right now, so I'm hanging up now. Take care... you must. Hang in there."

* * *

It was around four in the morning when there was a knock on the door, when I opened it, I was startled to see it was Rika herself. She brushed past me and took a good look around the room before she turned her attention back in my direction. The look on her face was unreadable, hidden well behind a smile and her eyes. "...So, this is what Ray likes." Rika settled her thoughts.

Her hands placed in front of her, as if she were merely chatting with a friend. Why would she be dropping by here? The last time had been jarring enough- and I wasn't entirely back to myself after that... interaction I had with Saeran only three hours prior in here.

"I thought I stepped in some princess's room. But then again, I expect nothing else from him. He loved flowers. Ever since I entrusted with everything related to the RFA messenger, I didn't even think of looking around this place." I was already up the creek without a paddle, if going by what Saeran had been prattling about. I drew in a breath and reminded myself to keep my cool before I lost it again.

"What exactly have you done to him?" I directed my question at her. It wasn't likely she would be honest but it didn't mean I would press for answers. The trouble here was going to get worse no matter I did.

"Oh, dear. It appears that you don't like the way he changed. That's a shame. I understand. Everyone has different preferences. You might miss Ray, but I suggest you forget him. Because he is no longer here." Rika said. "He was never hear for a long time anyway. Saeran is all he's ever been."

"I don't think he's beyond reach." I murmured.

The image in my mind was screaming otherwise at me.

"That's what you hope. How very innocent. It was you, wasn't it? You are the one who told the world might be more beautiful than he would have thought. He became strange ever since he met you." Her face darkened. It was clear she wasn't too pleased that I had made a move on her "tool," that was what she saw him as, right? "I shouldn't be surprised with how pretty you are - but I'm still displeased."

"It looked like his attention was lost somewhere distant... and that did nothing to help him. I'm not saying everything you have done is bad, Lila. Ray finally left. That weak boy finally lost, thanks to you. Ray chose to pose another persona than to become evil. But I think that is actually better. Because Saeran has finally become whom I wanted him to be!" She reached up to the ceiling, her tiny gand forming a fist, and then freeing it. "No more of this light."

"Strong, full of rage, hurting before getting hurt. This is what I wanted to see. I wouldn't have suffered any pain from my past if I had behaved like him... His rage matured as much as he spent his time in agony. Now he will be the most powerful weapon for me to brandish. And I was able to draw out that razor-sharp behavior from him... because you were here, Lila. I'm sure you're unsettled to see Ray - I mean, Saeran, different, but just remember that your role was crucial."

"Why? Why can't he stay as he is?" I pleaded. "Why's the point in changing someone like this? He's not the kind of person he ever should have been because of it." _He's clearly_ suffering. I wanted to say.

"You are free to hope so. But I would like to tell you that is a hopeless hope. It's better to be a more-or-less lunatic than a too-good-for-your-own-good-and-that's-why-you-suffer. Just like me. And that's the way we live in this place. When will you ever stop acting like a good girl? You look like you're waiting for someone to bend and break you... I'm actually on the verge of tears, I feel bad for you... But my tears would be nothing but a bane to you. You should rather give up some portion of your sanity. Like Saeran," She latched on at the end with a smile.

It was unnatural.

"Hopefully salvation will find you. Or you can just remain nice and become everyone's prey. The choice is yours, Lila." Rika said.

She reached out and brushed her hand against my shoulder. "But I would hate to think a girl so much like the former me would _choose wrong_... Especially after the faith your father put into you. You have the capability to become like him - you have the power to be someone like us." She spoke with such fever. "You could have everything you everything you ever wanted. If you choose right."

* * *

 **Saeran:** Hey. Hey answer me.

 **Wisteria:** Something wrong?

 **Saeran:** You think I can talk to you only when there's something wrong? I decide what to do. You don't ask me questions. IRRITATED EMOJI Oh I forgot heh. You think you're a princess... But you logged in this late to see me. LAUGHING EMOJI Should I give you a kudos? Haha.

 **Wisteria:** I miss you.

I miss you.

That was no lie.

I was trapped in this room and I had no where to go but these four walls. The only person who would be in and out would be him now. I didn't hate Saeran. I didn't understand why he was so spiteful. I wanted to understand and I wanted to know how I could bring him back from this state. I missed our interactions from before. I wasn't strong enough.

What do you do when you're scared? Rationalize the terror and find a way to make it stop - find what makes it tick ans it won't be scary anymore.

My eyes threatened to spill over with tears again.

 **Saeran:** Seriously? You have such a weird preference. hehehe You do realize that, don't you? Hey answer me. You like playing with me, don't you?

 **Wisteria:** No.

 **Saeran:** Of course it shouldn't be. I'm supposed to be having fun. Who do you think you are to have fun? heh IRRITATED EMOJI Hah. Now I'm thinking again... about that lame face of yours...I'm starting to feel weird. Next time I see you turn around so I can't see you. I made myself very clear. SIGH EMOJI

 **Saeran:** Oh I just told the believers from now on to not let anyone in your room. Then I'll be the only person you can ever see.

 **Wisteria:** Okay. Is that all?

 **Saeran:** This should be fun. LAUGHING EMOJI After a month I'll be the living hell for you. But then again... are you going to start missing me? ^^

 **Wisteria:** I'm going to whatever I must, no matter the circumstance. I'll endure whatever you think can hurt me.

I will endure and I will survive. The name I had chosen was Wisteria, and I held merit in it. what is coming for me, I'll fight through and try to drag you back from the fire. I rubbed my eyes free of the tears that spilled out.

It didn't make me any less scared.

 **Saeran:** That's right. And what you're going to do is wait for me all day long haha. I wonder what you'll look like when you see me. I wonder how desperate the little princess will look. I hope it'll be funny haha LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** Oh did I mention that from now on I told them not to feed you?

 **Wisteria:** Did he give you that idea? Why are you so keen on tormenting me like this?

 **Saeran: Oh, you mean your father?** I didn't ask his guidance,

 **Saeran:** Why. Is that why your damn bones jaunt out like that? You've done this before I wouldn't be surprised an airhead like you. Would starve her own damn self. That will make sure you wouldn't even dare lift your face. I would hate to see you eating well and getting enough energy to raise your head even higher. CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Saeran:** And I would rather die than to look straight into your face so do you mind keeping your head down in front of me? Do we really have to waste time trying to feed an airhead like you...? And talk about the waste of food. IRRITATED EMOJI But then if you starve to death my savior will be so mad - She told me not to be too mean to you until the party.

 **Wisteria:** And what's going on outside of this room?

 **Saeran:** CONFUSED EMOJI What's the matter? You want to drop something for the RFA? You're being arrogant. Just stay silent and do your work on the messenger.

 **Saeran:** And think about how you can entertain me. Everything else means nothing. Oh that's it. If I find some hideous dish I'll take it to you and make you eat it haha. If I do that will you be a little more fun? LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** You're always looking for something to entertain you. Can't be alone with your thoughts?

 **Saeran:** CONFUSED EMOJI That's because you make me feel so empty...You should keep me entertained all the time! Don't pretend to be so noble. As if I'm weird and you're right at least in this place you're a useless airhead. LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** It's going to take some time for you to accept the fact that you're a stupid toy good for nothing. You've been living like a princess so far.

 **Wisteria:** Aren't you just trying... to look down on me so much that you appear superior?

 **Saeran:** LAUGHING EMOJI Hehehe heheheheh heheheheh... Hey I'm going to remember that. You... Just you wait. IRRITATED EMOJI Oh right right right one more thing - open wide and read this carefully - From now on you better not look me in the eyes. If you do. I'll completely lose my appetite.

 **Wisteria:** I feel like Ray is in your eyes. Is that why you can't look at me?

 **Saeran:** Is that supposed to be funny? hahahah... Your delusion is serious. Did my savior have to assign this important mission of making the RFA hold the party to some airhead like you? My savior... She's just too kind. I need to keep you alive. But you're good for nothing... Just what can you do? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** You can't hurt me like this - Saeran

 **Saeran:** Oh I can't? Aren't you great or what? Oh my my - What should I do? Now I wanna see you even more... I must see your face in tears. I must see your face.. Even if it's no fun maybe I should let off some steam haha, It was kind of fun when I saw you scared hahaha.

 **Saeran:** Oh... Speaking of which Maybe I should pay you a visit now ^^ Just wait there nice and quiet in your room like a toy lol

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**


	15. Chapter 15

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/28/2018.**

* * *

THIRTEEN

"Twisted."

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **707 has entered the chatroom.**

 **707:** Wisteria! I'm glad to see you logged in.

 **Wisteria:**...Yes. Hey, is there anything wrong on your end?

 **707:** There's something wrong with this hacker. I'm glad if there's nothing wrong with you. Uh, right there's something that I must tell Jaehee.

 **707:** I'll leave a message here. Jaehee just delete that email you got concerning the government commendation. Uh, wait no, before you delete it could you send it to me?

 **Wisteria:** Huh.

 **707:** I'm sure she's busy with the unit... The hacker is going nuts and I mean it... CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** He's more aggressive, isn't he?

 **707:** He's more than more aggressive but... He's much more careless than the one before him. I gotta hope this guy would slip and drop something for me to pick up on... But for some reason I think this guy and predecessor are together or something. He knows everything that the previous hacker did...

 **707:** But if they're together, why is this one so careless? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** They could be the same person, you know...

 **707:** I think everything about them is different, including their personality. Take a look at this.

(Image)

I pressed a hand to my lips. "What the hell?" Saeran was different than how Ray handled himself in his duties. Everything about him was fueled by his anger and rage. This static image had been destroyed beyond reconigition - and the flashing text was enough to make the hair rise on the back of your neck. He will hack everything.

 **Wisteria: That's very intimidating.** I can feel his intensity from here.

 **707:** yep, there's no way this guy has no bad feelings against the RFA. The hacker I've been fighting before this one would never do something like this becuz he might leave a trace... but then again... this guy's attack pattern is slightly similar to the one before him so this is so confusing. MOPING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Please do your best to defend the messenger, Seven.

 **707:** I will. Just how many guys do they have there? Don't tell me... Am I against a team of monstrous hackers...? MOPING EMOJI

 **707:** That can't be.

 **Jumin Han has the chatroom.**

 **707:** Jumin

 **Wisteria:** Hello Jumin

 **Jumin Han:** Good morning.

 **707:** Jumin, have u heard anything from the unit?

 **Jumin Han:** I thought you had a direct connection to the unit. You'll hear from them faster than you hear from me.

 **707:** True... but looks like they're busy.

 **Jumin Han:** So is the governmental commendation off our to-do list?

 **707:** It'd be good for your company if we get one, but this is a really bad time. CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** I think it would be best to hold off until everything with the hacker is resolved.

 **707:** yep, take a look at my hand...

 **Jumin Han:** I can't.

 **707:** It can't stop moving. CRYING EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** I'm not sure what relation is there between your busy schedule and commendation. Awards like this would definitely help in the future.

 **707:** Not for me... Uh, but first let's talk after we're done with this hacker, plz?

 **Jumin Han:** We have two days to reply to the email, so there's no time. Maybe I should reason with V regarding the commendation.

 **707:** He'll tell you that it's not an option.

 **Wisteria:** I think we should respect V's choice.

 **707:** yes yes yes

 **Jumin Han:** I agree with you. However, I do not understand why you would reject it, Luciel.

 **707:** aww how come?

 **Jumin Han:** That's not like you. You refused to take an offer advantageous to you... How very odd.

 **Wisteria:** Have some more faith in Seven.

 **707:** CRYING EMOJI

 **707:** Sob sob thnx but, Jumin's right.

 **Jumin Han:**...Tell me, Luciel. Are you implying to V that we shouldn't accept the prime minister's offer because of your personal problem?

 **707:** ye...?

 **Jumin Han:** Have you done something that the government would not be contented with?

 **707:** uhhhhh uhhhhhh - There's this delayed tax.

 **Jumin Han:** Tax?

 **707:** yep I owe one to the government

 **Jumin Han:**...Pay it. What's so difficult about that?

 **707:** haha

 **Jumin Han:** As a businessman, I will do my best to make profits.

 **707:** sure

 **Jumin Han:** So I have no problem with commendation.

 **707:** Uh - but still that's no option!

 **Jumin Han:**...? Just why? You don't happen to have a problem with your status like you said yesterday...do you?

 **707:** UH UH

 **Jumin Han** : ?

 **707:** maybe becuz I work for an agency!

 **Wisteria: nod nod**

 **Jumin Han:** You should've us if that's your reason. Easy. We'll submit the list of personnel with your name omitted.

 **707:** ...But still, they could find me through that list. To check for facts and stuff.

 **Jumin Han:** Will they?

 **707:** And once we get affiliated with the guys that run the country we might never stop getting affiliated. We'll have to start attending other ceremonies and stuff - join them for their charity work - and for someone like you, uhm... someone might invite you to run for the elections.

 **Jumin Han:** Nevertheless, once the RFA earns official recognition from the country the benefits will return to the members. Is there a reason to shut the window?

 **707:** Jumin...

 **Jumin Han:** when we can feel golden luck breezing upon us?

 **707:** Listen you should do some investigation on this. We're not the only candidates for the commendation, are we?

 **Jumin Han:** We are not, I suppose.

 **Wisteria:** Why do you think he's suddenly insisting to award such a small organization? Does it make sense to you?

 **707:** RFA is small and we had only two parties but he's more than willing to commend us...? Don't you find that fishy? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Jumin Han:** I thought our charity spirit is what won the approval.

 **707:** no no no

It's from none other than the prime minister! South Korea is not the smallest country on the planet. There are millions of charity groups and billions of charity people. But why us out of all people?

 **Jumin Han:** Hm...

 **707:** We have like less than ten people.

 **Jumin Han:** In that case, I should investigate whether the prime minister chose us due to his personal attachment.

 **707:** yessss

 **Wisteria:** We'll still be holding the party, right?

 **Jumin Han:** Of course. Though the party will be even more honorable with the commendation.

 **707:** I'll donate my SevenStar Drink! WINK EMOJI

 **707:** That will be even more honorable. I only drink PHD Pepper but

 **Jumin Han:** I think I can see the soda cans and empty bags of chips that'd be littering your house.

 **707:** SHOCKED EMOJI Did you put up cameras in my house?

 **Jumin Han:** If that's the case. You need help from Mrs. Kim.

 **707:** CONFUSED EMOJI Mrs. Kim?

 **Jumin Han:** Someone recommended me to her. Apparently, she's the best housekeeper in the country. Before I hire her, I would like to have an examination of your house as a testing ground.

 **707:** HEY!

 **Jumin Han:** Let's invite her to the party first.

 **707:** I already have someone who does that...

 **Jumin Han:** and get an opportunity for you to talk to her.

 **Wisteria:** lmao Good idea - Seven definitely needs to clean house.

 **Jumin Han:** I'll have her contact you Wisteria.

 **707:** ...Now I return to the battlefield T_T

Ugh I was so busy that I didn't even get the chance to lay my hands on the files from V.

 **Jumin Han:** Files?

 **707:** uh no nothing

 **Wisteria** : You should really look into that. Especially if you got it from V.

 **Jumin Han:** I'm not sure what the contents are but I hope they can help you to defeat this crisis with the hacker

 **707:** thnx. Though I'm not sure if it's related to the RFA since he personally gave them to me. Oh what was I saying? I'm really off to work. bye bye

 **Wisteria:** Remember to take breaks!

 **Jumin Han** : Good luck.

 **707: Thanks.**

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** If we get the benefit from the commendation I might have gained a chance to bring with me several business related to the government.

 **Wisteria:** Such as?

 **Jumin Han:** An opportunity for C&R to host cat shows and cat exhibitions planned by the government... We could try to think of several potential opportunities. However, if the prime minister's personal attachment is what fuels his plan for commendation it would not be an honor at all.

 **Jumin Han:** Luciel is right. I should think about the exact reason why we would outshine all other candidates and have to stand in the spotlight. It's as important as checking the color of the thread before plunging the needle into the cloth to be stitched.

 **Wisteria** : True. I wish we could at least learn why we would go through a sudden change when they take place.

 **Jumin Han:** Is there something that burdens your personal life? It is quite common to see sudden changes contrary to your intentions. And usually you'd find out the reason why... much later then you expect. Now I must leave for my next duty. I should complete another row of stitches inside my vehicle.

 **Wisteria** : Bye, Jumin.

 **Jumin Han:** Now, excuse me.

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 _SAERAN_

He was unrelenting in his siege on the RFA messenger and he took no moment to waver against them- against HIM. It wasn't difficult, not even really what he could have considered a challenge right now. There was always a spot during the day when that redhead turned his head and that was his time to file direct- calculated attacks with his fingers.

"Heheheh." It was laughable. Soon enough, he and V would crumble. It was only inevitable at this rate.

Saeran ran his eyes over a few monitors, this would take a while for that fool to overcome. Which meant that he had earned himself a moment to rest his wrists before he went back. His chair twisted around. Something caught the corner of his eye when he rolled his chair around for that brief pause. It was that photograph that Claude had left with him months prior. The one that Ray had gotten so twistedly fond of, the one that he had used to motivate himself to get that girl- that ugly girl- to come here.

 _"She's an angel, no colors like this have existed without her in my eyes and it's a blessing the savior wants someone this angelic with us."_ That Ray was foolish - that was the sort of thing that he would have blathered on about if he were here. He acted like he didn't know her that whole time - and had stupidly fallen for her beyond the photograph he had been pinning over. The thought that she would even like someone like that made sense - but it was a shame. He just wanted to make her flower crowns and sip tea in some garden. There wasn't a point in things such as that. This nonsense connected the both of those idiots.

His heart didn't flutter at that thought.

His heart would be pleased by her cowering and pleading.

That Lila may have been otherworldly but it didn't make her important. No, if anything that made her more of an issue. What a disgusting universe she had come from and that idiot deserved what she had coming - the thought of those eyes filled with tears pleased him, however. She thought she was some savior princess to Ray all this time but that look in her eyes had almost been enough to make Ray defeat him if he was honest. But he was stronger - he was the real deal. "You think you're special because you're from a different world, don't you?" He spoke to the image. "Walking around and acting like she belongs here when she doesn't, thinking she's special and not some toy made for my amusement. After all, isn't that the real reason that man wanted you here? Just a toy in the master plan?"

Wouldn't it be great to taunt her with the knowledge he had? That she could never return without the right algorithm that only he and that man knew? That would show her. Saeran held the keys to her survival - her inevitable salvation if he decided she was worth that much. He was the one in control here, nobody else, and that feeling made him so... Powerful.

He had never felt this way before. It was satisfying - the power, the power that nobody could push him around was n his hands at last and it felt glorius.

But yet... There was an emptiness in the pit of his stomach. What was this annoying feeling he had? Was it boredom? Was that returning once more? He grimaced. He could always send more mayhem the EVA's way, but thus far he has done exactly what his Savior had directed. With Lila on the edge of failure, she had him on planned timings - he had to make sure she was doing what she needed to be. That was his second task above keeping that idot redhead at bay from here.

What was that airhead up to, anyway?

He spun around in his chair and flicked a dead monitor to life. She was there in her room staring at her phone. She wasn't in a chatroom with those people and the log indicated nobody was online. Nobody? What did she think she could do right now? This was her job - to talk to those idiots in the chatroom. So what was she doing right now? His hands went into gear to reflect her phone for him to see - dribble, nonsense. So that's what she was doing. Lila was filtering through her photographs at that moment - it was the kind of stuff that he already knew to expect from her. There was a lot of photos of paintings and herself.

What caught his eyes were a set of flowers. Flowers. So, she had admired those enough she took a photo. Something twisted up inside of him. Saeran's fist made contact with his desk. These feelings he felt were what was left of Ray now and it sickened him... damn her. Damn that girl.

He lifted his phone up and clicked her icon, what did she think she was doing anyway. He decided it was high time to call her and check on what she was up to in there by herself and nobody else. "Picking up at the right time. Yes, that's how it should be done. What more is there for you to do but wait to play with me, is there? The camera I installed while you slept seems to be working very well. I can't slack off monitoring you since I don't know what a moron like you will do... such a handful of a toy." He asked her as his eyes watched the screen above.

Lila looked around the room as if she could find the camera he had placed. "Don't you think I'll get scared if you say you're watching me?" She asked him, her voice was calm but her face was betrayed by her. "I - I'm not scared."

"You're trying to be brave, huh? I can see you looking for the camera while saying that. I can see you're shaking right now. Hahaha. Stop trying to be brave with words but rather show yourself begging for your life. You never know, I might give you a pass. Of course, I don't intend to do anything like that." He paused, "Right. Thinking of which, didn't you... get an official ID card? I got rid of your personal code as I thought it's useless to someone like you. Hahaha! Now, you can't walk around the building as you like unlike before. Say goodbye to the garden you used to hang out with Ray." He cackled.

There wouldn't be any night trips for her anymore in this place. If she loved something he would take it away. He would take away those things that made him feel twisted up inside. Saeran waited for her face to crumble into pieces but it just didn't.

He scowled.

She was just sitting there.

Like a moron.

Lila clenched her fist. Her eyes focused on the glint of the camera - looking directly at him through the lens now, "As long as I have my will to get by, I'm okay."

Saeran rolled his eyes. He scoffed, "What, do you not understand your position? You take forever to understand the situation. Your will? How noble. What use is it to someone as low as you? Your will, it has no meaning to someone strong like me. Now, why don't you come up with ways to entertain me with your dumb head. You never know. If you do a good job, I might let you stay here. Though, I doubt you'll be able to come up with something great anytime soon though - Aren't I a fairly nice master? Telling you what to do in detail... for an insignificant toy."

"Is there a reason you called beyond telling me this?" Lila was staring straight at the camera, straight at him. That look in her eyes was disgusting but it pleased him that she had some gall to push him.

If she kept that up, he would do whatever he wanted.

"What is it that you're doing on your phone?" He inquired.

Lila let out a little sigh. It was one of those pitiful noises. "I know you can probably see from your position. It wouldn't take much to broadcast it, right? So I'm not entirely sure why you wanted to ask me unless you wanted to kick me when I'm down again - while you're hurting like this, while you're _bored_ like this." Lila stated. Her gaze fell back to the ground as she spoke up. "I was thinking about Ray."

Saeran rolled his eyes. She wasn't as stupid as she appeared to be at moments like this, but her need to open her mouth and say things knowing how enraged it made him brought him back to the same conclusion - She was an airhead. "Aren't you just missing that idiot? It's a waste of your time since he isn't coming back. You know, we're no different in some ways. He was lying to you that whole time, you know? He knew so much about you it was sickening. You still miss him?"

"I - I do miss talking with Ray! I guess by extension since you're both inhabiting the same body, that would mean you in some regard," She said. He let her drone on for a moment just to see what she would say - just to hear what kind of inane dribble that she could sprout. "I knew things about him and he knew things about me. We both lied to each other - that makes us no different, sure."

"You are an airhead, after all," Saeran said. He leaned into his hand, propped up against the desk. "It took you that long to figure this out? Hah! That's a shame - Claude always wanted to drone on about how smart you were." The name drop made Lila squirm where she sat. Oh, was that all it took to toy with her? He had to name the right people.

"He knew about him - and so do you - and you wouldn't tell me anything about that either if I asked, I'm sure."

Saeran could only laugh at the look on her face.

It was pitiful, like a dejected puppy in the rain. "Of course not. You should know the Savior isn't happy with him about the trouble you caused though. But of course, he's still useful unlike you - so at least you know you're the only one really worthless here at Magenta from now on, Princess." He told her with a smirk returning to his face. "Don't you regret coming here from your world? Hahaha. I can't believe how easy it was."

Lila didn't shift at the name, she only stated. "I don't regret my choices. I know that somewhere inside of you, you're not actually like this and you're hurting just as much as you want me to hurt." She blinked and then something changed in her face. "Wait. What are you talking about, Saeran? How much do you know about that?"

"Wouldn't you love to know? I'm never going to tell you what I know - can't have you running away where I can't reach so soon. I'm annoyed that I feel like I've wasted my time talking with someone who thinks like that. I'll see what you do next time. If you keep acting this poorly, I won't let it pass like today. Keep talking like a princess and you'll see what I'm capable of. I'm hanging up."


	16. Chapter 16

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/28/2018.**

* * *

FOURTEEN

"REVELATION II."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

I've been working on an My Hero Academia fic on my AO3 account, I'm not sure if I'll upload that here on FFN yet but I'm not sure how that'll translate here. Everything should be fixed up in this fic by the end of the week, Y'all. So you'll be able to re-read without worry of finding my mistakes.

Anyway, here's the new chapter.

I hope you're all s-h-o-o-k

* * *

Conserving my energy and sleep away the time that I had alone. That's what I was doing but in the midst of my trying to take a nap and keep my nerves from growing to a point that I couldn't drag back down. If I couldn't get a hold of anything to eat than this was the second best thing.

I found myself reading through the chat logs that I had missed while I was in the bed. It appeared that Zen had been dragged into the prosecution's investigation. It wasn't any office either. It was the supreme ranking office. He had been dragged up for some reason that he couldn't explain in the chatroom.

My gut told me that the Prime Minister was to blame. He had already approached V, and it was possible he was reaching beyond the mint-haired man's grasps to other members to try and locate Seven. This was bad. This was incredibly bad.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria... did you hear about Zen? Zen is undergoing investigation at the prosecution service?

 **Wisteria:** It's incredibly shocking.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I'm still trying to believe it.

 **Jaehee Kang:** CRYING EMOJI How could this happen on the very last day of the rehearsal? Zen is an innocent, passionate man. There must have been a mistake. I'm sure of it. No... he's going through the investigation. I'm sure he's just cooperating with something.

 **Wisteria:** I hope no one else will suffer from here on.

 **J** **aehee Kang:** From here on? What do you mean by that?

 **Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria... Mr. Han.

 **Jumin Han:** V told me what happened. I never dreamed one of us would be undergoing prosecution's investigation.

 **Wisteria:** I wish he'll be free soon.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I dearly hope so. The only places Zen would visit ever are his home and practice room.

 **Jumin Han:** There's nothing that I can think of, either. If you ask for my speculations, he could have been summoned for cooperation with the prosecution because something happened with his long-lost family.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Today is just a bad day for Zen. But did it have to take place on the day of his rehearsal?

 **Jumin Han:** There's no point in speculating and discussing theories until Zen comes back and tells us what happened.

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's true, but...

 **Jumin Han:** I should return to my stitching.

 **Jaehee Kang:** SIGH EMOJI

 **Wisteria: wow.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** How can you even focus on stitching at a time like this?

 **Jumin Han:** I believe Zen is innocent. Even if he's not he'll pay the price.

 **Jaehee Kang:** What if he was framed?

 **Jumin Han:** Then V will step in. And the RFA will do its best to prove his innocence.

 **Wisteria:** It's heartbreaking to go through something like this.

 **Jumin Han:** It's more than heartbreaking. It'll waste your time and resources. There is more to lose than to gain from irritatingly long legal struggles.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I once heard someone say there is no winner in a trial, regardless of the results.

 **Jumin Han:** True. Zen has never won anyone's hatred so I believe there's only a slim chance for him to through any mishap.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I agree.

 **Jumin Han:** Now if you excuse me.

 **Wisteria:** Jumin! Will Zen return safely though? What do you think?

 **Jaehee Kang:** I'd like to ask the same. I'd like to ask you what do you think is the chance that will Zen return safe and sound?

 **Jumin Han:** Hm... I'd say about ninety-six-point seventy-six percent.

This was growing uncomfortable... This investigation was proving to be growing closer and closer to the members of the RFA. Something in my gut was telling me that Zen was only the start of something that was going to get worse... and better yet. I chatted with Jaehee and Jumin for just a while longer as we tried to calm down and wait for Zen. After sending Jaehee away to go grab some coffee, I found myself staring at the ceiling above my head and pondering the future.

My biggest gut worry was that this was going to affect the party in some way. They can't cancel the party, they can't do that right now. My fingers hovered over the keyboard but stopped. I couldn't tell them the reason why we needed to have the party either. Saeran would be in here like lightning and I would be in a mess of trouble.

That was why when V entered the chatroom not a half hour later and announced the party had been postponed because of Zen and the growing uncertainity with the hacker, my heart sank.

My time was running out.

* * *

 **Zen has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria!

 **Wisteria:** Zen! Is the investigation over?

 **ZEN:** Yeah! I'm back! Man I wish I could upload my selfies but I can't. My face is a disaster T_T CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Since you're talking about your selfies again, I'm guessing this wasn't anything big.

 **ZEN:** You're right. I'm back safe and sound, thank God. Sorry for all the concerns. Who would have thought that I would go through all that in my life? But thank God they didn't keep me any longer. Though that's because they couldn't dig up anything more from me.

 **Wisteria:** What did they ask?

 **ZEN: oh** I was about to go into that part. The officer told me that someone reported to them about a person doing illegal intelligence activities. And for some reason, the officer seemed really interested in the RFA messenger. But it's weird.

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI Back there I couldn't access the messenger and all the data was gone. But now it's all back... Is this some kind of automatic feature?

 **Wisteria:** Maybe that's something that's an emergency feature! Everything in here is technically confidential, you know?

 **ZEN:** But how did the app know that I was at the prosecution and wiped out its data for me? If such a system exists it's a bit weird I know that everything in the messenger is strictly confidential but that feels kind of illegal, strictly speaking, lmao. And I am supposed, to tell the truth when I'm interrogated or facing a national crisis, right?

 **Wisteria:** Are you sure that was a real investigator?

 **ZEN:** Once you find yourself in that building all of your doubts are gone. Everything's dead serious. So there was no way that I could miss that I'll be the one in hot water if I lie.

 **707 has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Oh, Seven

 **707:** Zen. Am I glad to see you back

 **ZEN:** yep

 **Wisteria:** You both saw V's message earlier, right? That the party is on hold?

 **ZEN:** SHOCKED EMOJI Huh? What do you mean?

 **707:** He just got back. He probably didn't read it.

 **ZEN:** What are you saying? The party is on hold?

 **707:** yup

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI What? Why?

 **707:** We have a problem with the hacker and you were interrogated at the prosecution. V said that this doesn't look like a great time for the RFA to hold a party.

 **ZEN:** no way

 **Wisteria:** It was a surprise as well.

 **707:** I think it's a sound choice.

 **ZEN:** Is it because of me? Man... But now I'm back!

 **707:** No, it's becuz' of me. If only I...

 **ZEN:** No, it's not because of you.

 **Wisteria:** It's extenuating circumstances. Let's not place blame on anyone directly.

 **ZEN:** Yeah She's got a point. If it were Yoosung he'd try with those logics of his to put someone on the spot...

 **707:** Thanks for trying to ease me off the guilt but I'm fine.

 **ZEN:** What's with you? Is there something going on with you?

 **707:** Why?

 **ZEN:** Well...

 **707:** Did they ask about me directly at the prosecution?

 **ZEN:** No way. There is something going on with you!

 **707:** They did, didn't they?

Seven laughed this off when Zen just told him that he only mentioned Seven because he couldn't ever tell if those jokes of his about his life were really just jokes or if they held some reality in them. It put the trouble down for a moment, that was for sure, but it wasn't sure to last. He admitted that this interrogation that Zen had gone through was because of him.

I knew it had to be because of him. The Prime Minister wanted his hands on Seven and Saeran.

My phone buzzed once more and my eyes went back to the chatroom.

 **707:** Sorry for causing you trouble, Zen.

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **ZEN:** What - What's that supposed to mean?

 **707:** I never wanted to cause any harm to anyone.

 **Wisteria:** I don't think you're a bad person. You have good reasons.

 **707:** HAPPY EMOJI

 **707:** Thanks for telling me that at a time like this.

 **ZEN:** Hey I feel no different than her. What's wrong? Wanna talk about it?

 **707:** No

 **ZEN:** Come on talk to me. We have people from the prosecution. It's obvious it's serious.

 **707:** I'm so glad that you're okay. I'll make sure this doesn't happen again.

 **Wisteria:** Are you sure that you can do this alone...?

 **707:** It's personal.

 **ZEN:** You're not going to tell me what's going on?

This isn't going to harm you or anything like that, is it?

 **707:** I should make sure it never harms the RFA. Which is why I think

 **ZEN:** hey

 **707:** I should part ways with the RFA for the time being.

 **ZEN:** What is this about? Talk to me.

 **Wisteria:** Don't come on hard right now, Zen. Give him some space.

 **707:** yeah just remember I'll handle it.

 **ZEN:** Hey, that's it! Did you hack a government website? That's it, isn't it? You're not the one who pulled off that so called DDoS or something, are you?

 **707:** I'll tell you later, when I have a chance.

 **ZEN:** wha

 **707:** For now. I'm going to be dead silent.

 **ZEN:** hey

 **707:** Zen once again I'm so sorry

 **ZEN:** hold on

 **707:** Wisteria. Make sure you keep talking to V.

 **Wisteria:** I will.

 **707:** Later.

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:**... What the heck. What the heck is going on? Is he in a crisis or something?

 **Wisteria:** I believe in him. I think he'll be alright. He can manage himself.

 **ZEN:** I agree. But what in the world would make a guy like him so pressured like that? I'm worried. I can't help it. I should call V.

 **Wisteria:** Take it easy, okay?

 **ZEN:** Thanks for your concern. When I got back home I just couldn't stop myself from sighing. I've been tense all day... and I just feel sore all over. You should have a good rest. You must have been worried sick for me, I'll be going now. Bye!

 **Zen has left the chatroom.**

* * *

So, I waited there next to the door as I felt the footsteps in the hall. There were two believers outside my room now and there was always two of them out there, never more, and never less than that. One clue that I had about this spot in the building was that Saeran had to pass my room to get to Rika- there would be one point during the day when would walk past the room and grumble something crude instead of charging into this room.

It was almost a pattern.

Today was the third day that I had counted in a row.

I had one opportunity to make a phone call out to the RFA without him knowing what transpired.

My hands fumbled with my phone as I looked for the call feature and took a chance on calling the one person that I knew who would know what to say- rather, at least he would know without my having to give someone a run-around and hide the truth when I talked about my worries. It rang, once, twice, and then on the third ring the line connected without any static discharge. "Hello. I'm surprised to be hearing from you today given all that's happened, but I can't say I'm upset to hear your voice." V spoke from the other line of the phone. It was music to my ears. "Are you alright?"

"V. I need to be honest with you." I went straight to the point.

"...Yes, Lila?"

"I know the RFA is in turmoil right now and we both know things are reaching the breaking point for everyone. It can't go much longer like this. I'm worried for everyone, but I'm more tangled into this situation than I realized and I feel like you're the only one I can talk to about this... since, well, you know." My voice fell flat as I realized the number of realizations and truths I had learned... and there were still so many I did not know. The unknown made me more hesitant to speak but I pushed through.

"The situation hasn't escalated where your safety is in direct danger, has it?" He sounded nervous on his end.

"...I wouldn't say that." I murmured. In all honesty, it wasn't safe right now with the situation as it was. I could handle Saeran- I knew how to handle natures like that and tow the line, but the countless believers and Rika were beyond my control. Saeran wasn't monitoring my calls now- I had heard him in the halls not long ago. "They're monitoring almost all my calls, but there's a short window, I'll make it quick."

"V, my Dad is here and he's changed beyond the man I knew, I want to say it's the elixir that's done this but he was already on a downward spiral before he disappeared. He's the reason I'm here- I found this out the other day but I haven't had a moment until now to tell you because this is the only time I have before Saeran returns. He's not listening right now, I'm sure of it." I rested my face in my hands. The overhead lights in the room almost too much for me to bear now - artificial or not. "I don't entirely understand since well, the last time I saw him we were back home in America."

"He's threatened me by threatening Saeran's well-being and I can't know how true those warnings are but I don't want to take any chances when I know he's not a man that I can trust anymore," I whispered, my eyes darting to the camera in the corner. He wasn't there watching me but he would be soon enough. "I just want Saeran to get out of here."

V would agree with the sentiment. He wanted Saeran out of here and somewhere where he could get better... He could take care of Rika and take her down safely if Saeran wasn't a middle ground that could be used as a toy rather than a living breathing person. He was quiet on the other line for a few moments and it grew from there. "Your own father...?" I could hear him mumble to himself. "How far will she go..."

"You're going to return, soon, right? If it's possible, you need to get him - get Saeran out of here even... even if you can't get to me, okay?"

"You deserve to get out of there as much as Saeran," V said softly. "You weren't meant to be involved in this in the first place no matter who brought you into this. It's my fault things escalated to this scenario in the first place."

"And you deserve some peace and quiet once this is all over," I told him sincerely.

"I'm grateful that you think of me in such a light given our circumstance," V said. It seemed as though he was smiling on the other end. The connection was beginning to fizzle out, and I knew the static was going to return and cut him off from chatting with me.

Time was running out. Time was running out. I grit my teeth. "You deserve to be free of this mess too, V... She really needs to be brought back from the darkness before she can do more harm in this volatile state, I don't know what you intend to do once he's safe from here, but I want you to know that I believe you can do what you need to do before it's too late for everyone."

"Thank you, Lila."

* * *

 **Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** It's you.

 **Wisteria:** Jumin, it feels like the RFA is in the middle of a storm.

 **Jumin Han:** A perfect description of our status. Luciel... V... They are both far from their usual selves. They are at a loss what to do. I cannot find my heart's leisure to continue stitching... Among several occasions and changes that are taking place as we speak, postponing the party is alarmingly unnatural to me.

 **Wisteria:** I'm worried over everything that's occurred. Especially with Seven!

 **Jumin Han:** That must be why the party was postponed. I am not sure exactly what is happening. But there's no need to tell me that Luciel is caught in something disastrous. The persecution will never take action unless it is related to someone at social authorities... such as high officials from the government or people from monetarily royal families. I have no doubt the prosecution service has already set its eyes not simply on Zen but on all members of the RFA.

 **Wisteria:** I'm scared, to be honest.

 **Jumin Han:** You have no past records of activities at RFA. So I don't believe you'll be met with a huge problem.

 **Wisteria:** Could you tell me what V asked you about on the phone earlier?

 **Jumin Han:** Sure. It was no huge secret. He told me that he would like to submit an article to the news he wanted me to make sure the media will actually display the article once submitted.

 **Wisteria:** But he didn't mention what it was about?

 **Jumin Han:** He said he couldn't tell me yet.

 **Jumin Han:** It's obvious he's preparing for something. Unfortunately I'm afraid I cannot meet his expectations. We must avoid exhibiting any behavior that the prosecution service might find suspicious. Not until we understand what is happening

 **Wisteria:** It would have been a little easier if he told everyone what it was.

 **Jumin Han:** I agree. I would've helped him in usual circumstances. But my speculations tell me it wouldn't be surprising regardless of whom the prosecution officers interrogate. They could even interrogate me. That is not all. Now that I think that we might not hold the party. I believe that we must find answers to our questions about you, Wisteria... more than ever.

 **Jumin Han:** Of course, you are one of the RFA. But the reason why we accepted you despite our lack of intel on you is not only because V asked us to do that but also because we were running out of time to prepare for the party.

 **Wisteria:** V guaranteed my identification. You shouldn't be so suspicious still... I mean, wary might be an optimal term and I can understand where you're coming from by that regard.

 **Jumin Han:** Yes. There's no guarantee you wouldn't go through what Luciel has.

 **Wisteria:** I'm somewhere that's pretty hard to locate and it's a... safe place. Don't worry about me.

 **Jumin Han:** Just where exactly are you staying? Are you on some stranded island? Not to mention... though this is just a personal impression. Wisteria... I find your attitude a little bothering as of late. I did have such impression at your introduction but it feels like you are being controlled by someone else.

 **Wisteria:** No one is controlling me. I'm staying here because there's someone I want to see once more.

 **Jumin Han:** See someone? Who is this someone? And where are you staying? I'd like you to tell us the truth.

 **Jumin Han:** Oh... perhaps you're... 484585

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

This was bad. This was very bad. All of a sudden my screen fizzled into an array of code and error messages - there was a loud hiss all of a sudden from my phone and the chatroom turned into a different one.

 **Saeran has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran:** Lila. What kind of stupid conversation are you having? They're not even going to have the party. Are you asking for help to save yourself?

 **Wisteria:** That's not at all what I'm doing.

 **Saeran:** Then use that head of yours and choose well what you have to say. You didn't even do your job right but you're breathing so shamelessly. I'm starting to feel bad for the air.

 **Wisteria:** The party was postponed because of the prosecution interrogation, Saeran.

 **Saeran:** Princess, are you playing detective or something? So you want me to let off some steam on the guys from the prosecution?

 **Saeran:** Seriously you're such an airhead. Do you know my savior found out that the RFA is postponing the party? And now, she's more than just angry. She looked like she's ready to kick you out any minute. SMIRK EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** I don't think it's time for me to leave yet... not just yet.

 **Saeran:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Saeran:** What? You think you deserve a choice here?

 **Saeran:** Princess... looks like you're still dreaming. If you want to keep dreaming, then go ahead- Whether you keep dreaming or not... from now on reality more alive and more tragic will begin. haha Do you know what I told my savior? I told her that you're arrogant and stupid so you don't deserve this mission after all. SMIRK EMOJI

 **Saeran:** You kept telling Ray something like, "You can do it-" and "Look at the future ahead-" and all this nonsense so you ended up ruining this project.

 **Wisteria:** Ray worked hard as he could. He never ruined anything, not anything.

 **Saeran:** Are you defending the fictional boy who lied to you, Princess? He was so infatuated with you- that he convinced you to come here. Matter of fact. You defend this made-up-character still? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Saeran:** Wow - that's so useless. How stupid can you get? LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** Now I'm starting to really wonder. I told her that we should've never allowed you into this project. I'm not wrong, I never am. And now as long as I get her what she wants. I can do whatever the hell I want with you and whatever I want with the messenger.

 **Wisteria:** The party isn't canceled completely yet.

 **Saeran:** You think there will a party? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Saeran:** V is just tricking you... to keep you hoping. How stupid. Now I get to decide whether to throw you out or not. I'm sure Ray told you something like... Please don't leave me! And now... it's your turn to whine. LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** So try typing it right now hehe. Tell me not to throw you away.

 **Wisteria:** I know that Ray is still somewhere inside of you. There's still good inside of you.

 **Saeran:** Whatever. That's nothing but your imagination. Now I don't feel the need to say something about that. From now on you're not allowed to chat with the RFA. You're not smart enough to talk to them and gain info on them

 **Wisteria:** You cut off the connection entirely a moment ago - Do you think - are you going to keep it gone now?

 **Saeran:** What's wrong? Do you miss them? Don't worry. From now on, once you see a chatroom open you should log in right away and entertain me. LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** And if you procrastinate again... you don't want to know what will happen. People say the person who knows what cruelty is the victim of cruelty, right? So... I can show you... one heck of hell... painful enough to make you beg for your death. SMIRK EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** You should never allow cruelty to breed more cruelty.

 **Saeran:** Aren't you such a saint? SMIRK EMOJI

 **Saeran** Aren't you starving in there? Don't you want something to eat? Don't you think you gotta use your head? You're such an airhead, hahaha Lila. How do you feel now that you can't laugh or chat with RFA anymore?

 **Wisteria:** They're going to get worried. I'm worried.

 **Saeran:** You worry about someone other than yourself right now? Looks like you didn't suffer enough. ^^ Should I take that as "Yes, I want to suffer more." Oh, I just remembered with that camera I installed I can monitor you twenty-four seven. I'll be watching you. Try to pretend to be smart, will you?

 **Wisteria: ...**

 **Saeran:** heheheh One more thing. do something about that smell in your room until I see you again. I'm sure I made myself crystal clear. SMIRK EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** I don't even know what smell it is.

 **Saeran:** Do you want me to teach you what it is? But you'll regret it. So look forward to my return.

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**

* * *

The messenger was cut off from accessing chatrooms with anyone with... except for Saeran. I wouldn't be able to even slip a hint that there was trouble anymore. I wouldn't be able to talk to them. There was no way to unlock it. My knees crumbling underneath me as I sat to the floor with my back against the locked door.

I stared at the platform, my eyes searching for any loopholes that I could see visually to contact anyone but there was nothing. The only person on my screen was him. The other members were gone from my app and there was no other way out. My phone was useless - it wouldn't be able to do anything anymore! I really was trapped in this room with nothing but myself and my fears to keep me company.

"You only have yourself to blame." A voice bellowed through the crack.

"Dad...?" I leaned against the door to hear the voice a little clearer. "Is that you out there?"

"It's a shame, really. I thought you were doing so well... Though, you've served a higher purpose for the savior with Saeran; So it wasn't all for naught. I suppose." Dad trailed off with a short chuckle. "She really has a way of bringing the best out of people."

He knew. He told me before this happened - he knew they were going to drag Saeran away and do what they did. I demanded from him. "What did you do to him? Better yet, what the hell did she do to him?"

Dad scoffed. "Me? I did nothing. I told you this before, the main priority in Magenta is to please the Savior and receive her grace. Saeran has finally seen the darkness within him is all, and that, I suppose is thanks to you." He laughed, his laugh was hard - cold. "You're on thin ice, very disposable, really. Saeran is free to do as he pleases, maybe the savior will pity you and give you a special cleansing if he doesn't see fit to remove you."

"What's wrong with you?!" I cried. "You were never like this!" I shook with anger. My body moving before I could think - I spun around - my hand gripping the doorknob and giving it a twist left and right - only to discover for the umpteenth time that it was locked. It was locked from the outside, not the inside. I know understood why he was taunting me from this far.

I wouldn't be able to look him in the eye and make him tell me what he had to say.

If he was amused by the state of disarray that I was I in, I couldn't be sure. "You should have embraced the darkness... There may be another opportunity soon. If it arrives before you be discarded, I hope you find paradise." His laughter was cold and uncaring. "My little Wisteria."

The silence returned between the two of us. I peered through the peephole and caught sight of him - where he was once again - the sight of him there was never anything but horrifying. From my Dad's blonde hair to his pristine posture... It was him, and at the same time, it was a man I didn't know anything about anymore. He had his arms crossed over his chest, and his gaze straight ahead of himself at the door as if thought he could meet my own gaze.

"Will you answer one question at least?" I asked him as my own voice began to waver.

"Are you wondering how you came to this world, finally, after all this time?" He cocked his head, a smirk gracing his lips. Dad tapped his foot into the ground, the sound echoing off the walls. "It's actually very intriguing, but I don't believe you've figured it out just yet."

"How?" I repeated, even stronger than before. "Stop playing games with me!"

Dad raised a finger and put it to his lips. "Shush, now. I can't believe you would shriek at me like that. Your own father - you should mind your Father and not speak when he's talking!" He barked as his arms spread up to either side of his body in a comedic shrug contrasting his words. "Don't tell me I need to come in there and punish you myself!"

I slammed my fist against the door in reply. My hand ached from the blow - but I couldn't bring myself to care about that. I was so angry with him. I was so angry about this whole situation - I couldn't do anything. Everything was useless. There was no way out of this place - Everyone in charge was out of their minds and the only thing that I wanted was to hit him with everything that I had. "Don't play this fucking game with me, Dad. I just want answers. I was afraid of you before - but I'm not going to take this shit."

There was a laugh, a sinister laugh that bore nothing but hatred and displeasure. "Are you growing a backbone now? Is this because you don't have to look at me? I know if I was there you couldn't bark like that. Aren't you scared that I'll have a way to make Saeran take care of you, just like HE took care of you?"

"Don't say that name in front of me. I don't care about that - you can't use him against me - you always took Jason's side." I started to speak up again. That name leaving a sour taste in my mouth. My ex-boyfriend wasn't someone I wanted to ever remember. His ghost was always haunting my nightmares and mind when I felt low. It had been reappearing so often now - this was a fear that my Dad remembered and was trying to use him against me. Jason wasn't here in this place. He was locked away tight in a state prison.

"You preferred that asshole to your own daughter so you told him to do whatever to me just so you could have a son - I already know what you told him before you went off a bender and died. Jason doesn't know how to keep a fucking secret. I told you I was being abused in confidence because I wanted my Dad to help me! You didn't help me - you just made it fucking worse. " I was pulling the words out of my ass - out of my grief and out of my pain - I just wanted him to go away.

I was scared, but anyone would be scared. "He's locked away now. He can't hurt me anymore. Lucy helped me more than you ever would. This isn't about him now." I kicked the door. It was all I could manage with my strength. "That's behind me now. Those ghosts won't hurt me here. The only answer I want is for how the hell you got here, Dad."

He seemed annoyed his tactic failed as he grunted. "My dear, what you aren't aware of is how these worlds connect themselves together. There are certain circumstances that allow for gates to open. Do you remember the significance of the river we lived near?"

"The one you were meant to be dead under! The one that I stepped on and wound up here? That bridge?" I asked, what was he getting at here? What was he trying to prove with these theatrics?

"The significance, come on, you aren't this daft. What's the answer?" He hurried, a mock clicking of his tongue to mimic a clock. "C'mon, you know. This is something that I taught you when you were young. Remember."

What was he referring to? The bridge - waterways - paths to the ocean and always flowing with energy that we could see and that we couldn't see with our naked eyes. "You told me once," I struggled to recall the memory from my childhood when we had a conversation underneath a shaded tree as he pointed out something to her. "The bridge was located on top of a leyline - I thought those were just nonsense! They don't really exist."

"Correct! That took much longer then I wanted." He said. "Leylines in lore are religious lines, they match up from different religious structures and so on... They attract power and lead to mysterious circumstances, some people think they bring angels or demons closer to Earth- even aliens and other ideas have sprung up over the years. However, the unknown phenomenon is that they connect us to other realms of existence and if you step foot on one underneath the right alignment you walk right into something wonderful!"

My breath was heavy - screaming at him had taken so much out of me and I wouldn't be able to get that back. "So you're telling me I walked straight into this universe through... the leyline?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. Despite the severity of the situation - I found it strange that I wanted to absolve myself into hysterics.

"Well, not entirely. You needed something to guide you home through the line, just as I did. That's the technicality that people never quite figured out even to this day." He spoke with an edge to his tone. There was something underneath those words, something bitter and unsure.

"...Home?" I whispered.

He raised his hand to his chin as if he were in thought. "Oh, I forgot to tell you? I'm originally from this universe - this really is my own. Haven't you already discovered this in your research? It was the strangest thing when I was a young man. I found myself in that very bridge after chasing after my girlfriend. She had given up our child for adoption without telling me she had been pregnant while I had been back home in the United States tending to my ailing mother at the time."

"We had a huge spat when I returned. I was under high-stress emotions even if I wasn't showing it on the surface. I stormed out into the pouring rain and found myself following a strange pathway through the fog and rain. Areas, where our universes connect, will be blurred and distorted during the witching hours. That's just how it is."

"This universe is a game in our own. You know that don't you?" I asked him.

"Do you know there are many universes? Among parallel universes, the multiverse, and so on. You know as a young man I studied these theories intensely and I figured out one thing that others have not." He leaned forward as he spoke. "That, the theorem of Quantum Fiction is actually not fiction at all. The theory suggests that the writer can bend physics on a literary plane for the sake of a story, allowing for multiple things to be true on paper. In actuality, a creation is merely an author subconsciously taping into another reality. It's not that complicated."

"Are you suggesting that any fictional world can be accessible?" I struggled to wrap my head around this. It didn't make any sense to me. "Shouldn't realities be unable to tap into a different reality? I mean - isn't that the whole point of being disconnected from parallel worlds? They can't be together because they're different."

"You're standing here, aren't you?" He replied. "I always pushed myself to learn more about physics and our world as a young man, and when I stumbled into a reality so vibrant and unlike my own - I decided to stay until I knew the way back and one day I found my way back. The day that I left that world behind and returned here a year ago. These gateways are around the world. There's more than just the one that we traveled through with our own legs, my dear. You're slow to catch up. "

"I don't understand! How did Saeran get into my phone then?" I questioned him. "There shouldn't be any way to gain access to a different universe so easily beyond the actual entrance!"

"Through my phone, if you would stop opening your mouth you would get answers. Pieces of ourselves seemingly stay the same no matter what universe we come from - it happened once before with my own identification papers, they appeared two dimensional in your world when I was a young man but my body and beyond adjusted to fit the scheme of things." He explained. "You'll find yourself in a world unlike your own if you're looking in the right place and follow the path where the lines blur."

"This is insane. You're insane. What is the point of doing something like this?" I stood there with my mind whirling on all of this. It didn't make any sense. He disregarded my words and continued with his speal. "You realize this plane of existence was here before that game appeared on your phone, right? It doesn't revolve around these people that you've come to know. Those developers that think they created their own fictional world don't know they tapped into another reality, and another, and another."

"I knew the moment that you started playing that game on that phone that the time to return had come. When I looked into the information after I saw you playing it I knew - I knew my research had proved to be correct. I retraced my steps and found my way back to this place - and the first person that I happened to stumble into -"

I cut him off before he could continue. "Why are you doing this?! You didn't have to run away from home like you did, you could have gotten better and lived comfortably with Mom like before you turned into this monster." I directed my words at something tangible and something real that I understood. "Why did you allow yourself to become like this?"

He laughed again. "Because I want you to reach paradise. I want you to give in and submit to her will and live here with us. This is your true home, my little Wisteria, you belong with your family here. It would have been so easy if you had done what you needed to do. You stuck to it for the first few days but then you started to mess up. You could've had it all here with us."

"I don't want to be here with you - I don't want to play some sick family game." I forced the words out of my mouth as strangled as they sounded, I wanted him to know how much I hated him for what he had done to our family and how badly he hurt everyone with his own selfish desires. Everything had been so messy my entire life - but it wasn't horrible until the last couple of years. I didn't know how much more of this I could take. That was what I knew. This place was toxic. "And I don't want Saeran to be here with you either." I rested my head against the door, turning my eyes away from the very sight of him.

He grew quiet.

"I'm not your only family, my dear." He said, breaking the silence that had grown between us.

"What... What are you talking about?" I blinked. "Mom and Lucy are back home and they're my only family as far as I'm concerned from now on."

There was a chuckle on the other side of the door, it grew and grew until it resounded through the hallway and in my room. "My goodness, I guess she hasn't told you yet. Your sister must be angrier than I thought that you have been trying to steal her precious hacker from his sacred duty by filling his idea with that childish nonsense you do with your life. I thought you coming here would be a great first meeting - a reunion of sorts. She did want it to be a surprise as well, so I'm not shocked she's met with you without admitting the truth - She's very good with theatrics, believe it or not, must have got that from my side of the family."

"Lucy isn't here!" I repeated to him as if he wasn't making any sense. Did he not know that I was the only one here? Or was he planning on dragging her into this mess someday? "Lucy doesn't know about this place and she sure as hell isn't involved in the Mint Eye."

"I'm not talking about Lucy, Lila. I'm talking about your other sister, Rika."


	17. Chapter 17

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/28/2018.**

* * *

FIFTEEN

"Circles and Circles."

* * *

 _SAERAN_

The clock on the wall was ticking, ticking, and ticking. Why the Savior thought to place out analog devices instead of the superior digital ones he wasn't sure. What he was sure of was the sound was getting under his skin. It was endless. It was like the feeling that Lila gave him. She was always there, being useless to him, but existing at the same time.

Why had Ray been so interested in a nobody like her he wondered? Was it because she was the first girl that he had ever seen as useful? She smiled at him once and he decided that he liked her at that moment... He was such an airhead. Ray was swayed so easily by that girl that he was willing to let her do whatever she wanted, even if it was something that would have angered the savior. Ray was asking for pain. He was looking to be hurt by some girl when he acted like that.

Saeran had all the time in the world now and one thing that was leftover from Ray was that girl. She had cried and sunk beneath him when he first began to twist her, but she continued to have that hopeful look on her face. But why, why had Lila not yet fallen? Her will should have been next to nothing after he toyed with her.

His head went around and around as he had mused this.

It enraged him if he were honest. He and Ray were nothing alike but they shared the same face. Why would she submit to him already, why wouldn't she treat him like she treated that airhead? He didn't need her compassion... he wanted to see the look in her eyes that Ray had once garnered, and then he wanted to get her hopes up for a fleeting moment only to snack it away from her. He wanted to do this over and over until he was sure that she was good and broken.

That would be fun.

Something in his gut enjoyed the thought of Lila looking at him the way she did at Ray.

He didn't quite understand that feeling.

But he wanted to feel it more.

It was now midnight and the clock began to sound as it always did. There was the clock once again... Ticking, ticking, ticking.

"So useless," Saeran took hold of the inanimate object and did what he wanted to do with that weakling Ray, smash, smash, slam into him into pieces and prove once and for all that he was the strongest. The clock smacked into the ground and he stomped on it, repeatedly until it was in shattered pieces and remains almost beyond recognition. Saeran stared at the shattered remains of the clock on the ground. It filled him with a sense of satisfaction.

Yes.

 _Yes._

 _ **Yes.**_

He was the strongest. "What an idiot." Saeran stared at the video feed from her bedroom. Her back was to the door and at just the right angle - so that he could see her with his cameras. She was in a crumpled heap on the ground for some reason. He wasn't even sure why she was crying but it made him feel something. "Haha... Yes, that's more like it." He dissolved into a fit of laughter as he watched the girl sit there with her face in her hands, crying those eyes of hers out just like he had craved. "Haha... hahaha...!"

"You seem to be enjoying yourself."

The voice of his savior echoed in the room. He turned his head to get a glimpse of her as she stood there next to him. "Welcome, my savior."

"You don't need to stop laughing." She told him, the quirk of her lips was joyous. She was staring at him like she hadn't before, maybe she was truly proud of him now that he was strong.

"I'm fine now... being entertained by toys never lasts long," Saeran commented. His eyes flickered back to the monitor that held the video camera inside of Lila's room. She was still in there and sobbing her eyes out. In the time he had last seen her- he had left her standing sound but now she was cracking. Such a shame he hadn't been watching when she started- but he had work to do.

"Never lasts long...? Then why did you ask me not to dispose of her yet? I thought it was because you find her company entertaining." The savior inquired with a lift of an eyebrow. She was curious about her, once again.

"It is fun when she shivers or tries to fight back," Saeran told her as his eyes met her own. "But after some time it feels just useless. That's why I find her more irritating and hateful. Stupid toy... I feel like this is all useless because she's an airhead."

That's right. She hardly ever gives him the distraction that he wanted to get. She stood there and gawked at him. Lila never shivered like he wanted. But, for some reason, he craved watching her shrink beneath him. She had some gall to mouth at him- but her body always submitted to him when his voice got louder.

A tip he had gotten from her father once. Something about something in her life made her very susceptible to screaming and shouting - it was good enough for him to use even if he didn't know all of the reasons. It kind of annoyed him that occasionally when he would lash out at her - she would shout someone else's name. It kind of irked him. Who had toyed with HIS toy enough that she couldn't focus on him? Now, that enraged him like nothing else had. She needed to scream his name.

He could imagine such fun things to torment her with for days, to keep her where she was and underneath his lock and key, Lila was his. The savior pulled him from the daze of his streamline thoughts with her voice. Her matter of fact voice and shrug of her shoulders. "Then why don't you just dispose of her? I don't understand why you would leave her here then."

"...At least the moment when I torment her is still fun. I still feel like I have a long way to go on this," Saeran admitted, shoulders slumped back. "Drawn out suffering is better."

His savior was perplexed but it didn't show much as her eyes lingered on his form. "Saeran, you should think well. Are you sure Ray is gone for good? He might be urging you to keep her alive."

He scowled at the mention of that name on her lips. That was disgusting. That name should never have been uttered anymore. "Do we have to talk about that dead boy? Ray and Lila are no different from each other when you think about it. That's why they always lose. A good riddance, by the way. I'll never live like him. I'll never be the one to be tormented... never, ever."

"You'll never experience any kind of misery from now on." She tacked onto his words.

"I already have enough misery in my life, and that's all because of Ray! I'm not the loser!" His voice rose as he commanded his earlier thoughts. The savior was right, she always was.

"You're right. You're now strong, strong enough to cause fear. No one can never find that weak boy you used to be when you were a child." The savior held a wide smile on her face as she watched him. It shook all the other thoughts mind momentarily due to her delight.

Saeran clenched his fists. Anything that he had been thinking was gone now. He would never allow himself to be weak enough to get hurt ever again. V wouldn't touch him, that redhead wouldn't and couldn't compare to him, and Lila would crack soon and devote herself to him- to paradise. Everything at Magenta would be all he ever aspired for... there would be no pain anymore. "Watch me... Nobody will be able to stand in my sight without shivering in fear. I'll make the pay... I'll make anyone who rebels against you or me, anyone who treats us like fools or freaks... I'll make all of the pay... as much as I suffered." He smirked.

"That's just how strong you are. That's just how strong we are." She watched him as he laughed and laughed away the pain until he was a perfect boy for her eyes. The savior was pleased on this night. "Now that I see how strong you have become, looks like I worried for nothing. Now I see... Ray is truly gone for good."

* * *

 **Saeran has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:**...

 **Saeran:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Saeran:** You should type. What are waiting for? How stupid hahahaha. You think happiness will eventually find your way. If you behave like you have nothing to fear? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Saeran:** I'm guessing you're making me mad on purpose. so that you can be thrown away as soon as you can and find ease at last.

 **Wisteria:** You can't bend my heart, Saeran. Not like this.

 **Saeran:** I'm not interested in your heart. LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** The only thing I'm interested in is how much fun you can give me hehehe. I'm sure your heart is no more worth than a dust in the air hehehehehehehehe. Oh. That's right. There's something I need to tell you. LAUGHING EMOJI

 **Saeran:** You should be happy. I got good news for an idiot like you. My savior who so very graciously chose to let you live will spare her care for this messenger and you... ANGRY EMOJI

 **Saeran:** I'm not sure what good you can possibly do but since my savior wants an access to the messenger you get to see her soon.

 **Wisteria:** What does she want to tell me...?

 **Saeran:** I think she's going to pity you one last time before you're gone. Of course, I told my savior not to expect much from you. So try to be good if you want to stay alive and breathing. But you can't be saved. That's impossible.

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran:** My savior.

 **Rika:** Thank you for granting access, Saeran.

 **Saeran:** I can do anything for the eternal paradise.

 **Wisteria:** You.

 **Rika:** How rude.

 **Saeran:** What an airhead. Are you ever going to listen...? Like I said, don't expect too much from her.

 **Rika:** I find this interface familiar.

 **Saeran:** That's probably because Ray that airhead copied the RFA messenger.

 **Wisteria:** You're the founder of the RFA.

 **Saeran:** I'm a little worried about this airhead... I'm worried what kind of stupidity she'll show you.

 **Rika:** That's alright. I'll be fine. You can run along now, Saeran. You must be busy.

 **Saeran:** Of course. I'll now leave you in peace. For eternal paradise.

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** Lila...

 **Wisteria: ...**

 **Rika:** Poor girl. How did this happen?

 **Wisteria:** Which incident are you referring to? The abuse you put Ray- no, Saeran though? Or could you mean what HE told me?

 **Rika:** What do you mean, abuse? I have merely watched him from his side and made him work faster. But what about you? If this isn't what you wanted why did you speak such dangerously sweet words to Ray?

 **Rika:** Your words were sweet but they threatened his existence. That's why there was no choice but for the real Saeran to step out for his survival. It is all your fault you lost such a sweet friend.

 **Rika:** It is all your fault that things have turned out the way they have. Oh... Maybe you'll blame me instead. You'll blame me that Saeran emerged to torture you all because I was too cruel to Ray.

 **Wisteria:**... You tortured him until he broke like this.

 **Rika:** If you're angry because of that blame me as much as you want, Lila.

 **Rika:** I have no feelings for you. I've only done what I have to. The reason why I dragged Ray into the abyss was of that unreasonable blindfold of hope you forced upon him. And I am more than satisfied with the way Saeran has turned out.

 **Rika:** His agony would not have lasted long if he steeled himself much sooner... Poor Ray... He was so stubborn. He wanted to remain in that foolishly innocent world, smiling at blossoms above his head... He hated his brother But in fact, he also missed his brother. He was so weak. If I didn't teach him how to hack he would have been lost and left behind ages ago.

 **Wisteria:** Ray is a good person, the pieces of Saeran that still held his true self.

 **Rika:** I know you spent a good time with him. However, you must make sure you can differentiate between goodness and idiocy. Lila. Do you know why Saeran is keeping you alive?

 **Wisteria:** He believes he's stronger when believes I am weaker.

 **Rika:** You're smarter than I guessed, once again. You're right.

 **Rika:** Saeran is much stronger than Ray... but he could exist only because there was weak Ray to work against. However, now that Ray is gone... he's tormenting you to keep his dominance in check. You're weak. So what I'm saying is you're nothing but a loser to be trampled.

 **Wisteria:** I am not a loser.

 **Rika:** Even if you can't admit it yet. You have no choice. You're a weak girl fond of Ray's innocence. We are only living and behaving based on our rules.

 **Wisteria:** There's nothing weak in innocence, Rika.

 **Rika:** Oh. You don't want to call me that now. I am the law here. Which means, I am the justice. Next time- I hope you stand with us victors. You should think about how to make yourself useful for Saeran. If you do, he won't get rid of you so soon.

 **Wisteria:**...

 **Rika:** As for HIM, you were referring to Claude were you not? Did he tell you something he shouldn't have before I could? I would hate for our first conversation with this information on the table to be so cruel, Since I am saddened that you've forced my hand against you... even if you need a dosage of reality in paradise.

 **Rika:** my

 **Rika:** dear

 **Rika:** little

 **Rika:** sister

 **Wisteria: ...**

 **Rika:** I must speak with him now for acting without my word... I'll see you soon then, I've decided.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**

* * *

Two believers barged into the room late around two in the morning and ripped me from my slumber and escorted me to a part of the building that I had not been allowed access to before. This room seemed to be some kind of throne room; It must have been where Rika commanded her so-called subjects. My knees made contact with the floor as I was let free. I hadn't enough energy inside of me to lift myself up just yet, and the sound of heels tapping against the ground signaled the arrival of someone.

"Thank you, gentlemen." Rika smiled at the men with that same face of false innocence. "I appreciate you bringing her to me this evening, please wait outside while I talk to her for a short while."

"Of course, my savior." The first bowed his head. "For eternal paradise." The second spoke after, and they both took their leave.

That left Rika and me alone in this room.

She was staring down at me with an unreadable look in those eyes of hers. Rika was quiet, resolute, and composed. Whatever was bothering her wasn't clear to anyone. She wasn't showing anything but a rational face as she gazed at me. My heart was beating out of my chest as she said nothing but managed to pose a threat just by existing. "..."

I was staring back at her with the best poker face I could scrounge up. She made me feel like I was going to jump off the edge... Like she had the power to push me with just her gaze.

"Claude has always been disjointed, hasn't he?" She suddenly spoke up to me as she stood there. "I told him he wasn't to reveal this to you just yet, not until I was sure you were worth it, but he did it anyway. That man is always looking for the next thing to amuse him- of course, he's receiving a special dosage of our elixir now as his penance. But, I'm sure he will come back around."

"Is he really your father?" It came from my mouth before I could stop it from coming out of me. The question that had been plaguing my mind for hours... I did not want to believe she could be my own sister, but the more I looked at her like this the more I saw of my... Our father in her.

"The resemblance was there, but I wasn't sure until the test proved it. It's strange," She said with a faraway look in her green eyes. "I never thought I would know my biological parents as a child. I'm sure he told you what he told me. That he never wanted to leave me. I'm glad to know he is an understanding man who always wanted to see his first daughter again." Why was she telling me this? Is she trying to sway me again...? A few hours ago she had been threatening to let Saeran dispose of me and now she had turned a complete one hundred and eighty.

As if she believed I would listen to her just knowing that we had ties now.

"It was a blessing to have my own father join us here, and I thought by extension it would be splendid to meet my own sister, even if half of her blood isn't mine. We share something more than I shared with the Kim family." Rika leaned forward suddenly, her hand reaching out and grasping my wrist. That was right. I realized at that moment. Rika had been adopted by Yoosung's Aunt and Uncle, it wasn't a common practice here in Korea to adopt like they had and they had treated her unwell and it had lasted her entire life. At least, that's what I could remember.

She noticed my expression. "...You know, I know you've been spent time in the messenger with all of the RFA. Would you mind telling me how some of them are doing? It's one thing to be updated by Saeran, it's another to know through someone like you. They took such a liking to you, so quickly, I was almost jealous."

Her grip was tight and the edges of her finely pressed nails began to dig into my skin.

I swallowed my fear. "If you cared about them - you wouldn't have left them in the first place."

This response enraged her. Rika's eyes darkened over with annoyance. She suddenly yanked my wrist and pulled me up to my feet. My immediate reaction was a sharp wince. She had grabbed me where Saeran had once gripped my hand so tight it nearly bruised. "Lila," Her eyes darkened. "Despite your naivety and princess ways, I see myself in you and through what I've learned about your struggles in life. You just haven't accepted the darkness yet... Why can't you breath your inner demons to life and accept it?"

I tried to pull away but she pulled even harder.

"You were able to help me, Lila. I was finally able to bring out the best in Saeran. He embraced his darkness... You should want to be just like him, don't you? Love is such a twisted feeling... You find yourself pining for someone and changing yourself to be more like them until you realize you actually want to become them." Her voice had twisted into something sickly sweet as she spoke to me.

"To destroy it before it can destroy you," Rika concluded this thought as she smiled once again. It was quiet for a moment until she settled her thoughts again. "Don't you love Saeran?" Rika inquired.

My body told me to run but I had nowhere to go.

Rika had no hesitation in her very being. She never once took a misstep as she spoke with me and the power she held above me was very clear. She grasped my face with her free hand- her cold fingers resting against my cheek. "Come now, I'm your older sister. You can be honest with me always." Rika physically made me look at her the moment I tried to turn away.

My voice wouldn't come out right. "I..."

"Or did you just love Ray?" She pushed further and it felt as though I couldn't breathe anymore. "I know you care for that boy, whether you want to admit it to me or not. I used that weakness to finally make him strong like me. He's my son in that way, I cared for him and showed him the way to live without pain," Rika continued. "He's much stronger now, stronger than you."

"I almost want to cry for you once again as you linger in the light of the world. It's a false reality you cling to tightly. If you continue on this path, I may have no choice but to let Saeran dispose of you." She whispered so only she and I would know exactly what she murmured, her words ghosting against my ear as she spoke.

"I'm not scared of you, Rika." I breathed out.

If I were, to be honest... I would say I was petrified. The things that she could do to me now, I couldn't be sure of what she may be thinking. She had already thrown our father into the abyss this evening- and she had known him longer than me. It was a simple thing to her. What had hurt Rika so much that she turned into someone like this?

"You should be, dear sister." Rika murmured. "Your body betrays your words, you know? You're shaking, shivering before me already... I'm hoping you will break in such a beautiful way, that the darkness surrounds you and shows you the truth."

"You can't break me," I told her, the most sincere thing that I could tell her was this. It was the same thing I had told Saeran before. They could keep pushing me but I was going to try and push back. This wasn't like my first relationship where I couldn't fight back. I knew where I wound up the last time I let someone use me as a punching bag.

"You've been broken before," Rika countered smoothly.

I opened my mouth to say something more but Rika cut me off before I could do so.

"Blind love and affection hurt you as well, Lila. The remnants are still here today- you have suffered as I have suffered by the hand of a foolish man. How does it feel to fall into the same situation once more?" She asked as the air between us grew tight. "That man that hurt you, he was much as Saeran is to you. You're mere pretty property, a toy to tossed away someday, starving away until you hold no use."

I swallowed dry. "Saeran... Ray... they aren't like him."

"I pray for your pitiful soul, Lila. You don't have to stay under the light. You have the opportunity here to become your truest and strongest self underneath me. Can you just imagine a world as beautiful as that?" Rika offered to me once more, her side of the world that I wanted nothing to do with. "All you have to do is submit to me, and I'll forgive you for trying to turn Saeran against me, his savior."

I grit my teeth. She needed serious psychiatric help for what she had become, and the punishments that befit what she had already done could go on for pages. As much as I was scared of her- and as much as I wanted to hate her for what she did, I remembered in the midst of my fear that someone still cared about Rika and wanted to pull her back to reality.

The mint colored man. Before I could stop myself from opening my mouth, I found myself pushing back against this so-called-sister-of-mine. I dared to speak his name. "If V knew the extent of what you've done to him..."

Her hand made contact with my face and the sound of skin hitting skin echoed throughout the chamber. "Don't speak that name to me! I forgave you for uttering my name, but I won't forgive you for reminding me of that man. He's a liar, a traitor, everything that he says is nothing but rubbish as he tries to remove pieces of you." Rika shook with disgust as she shoved me to the ground in front of her where I landed with an unceremonious thud. "He's lied to you whatever he's told you about us. Do you think he's going to rescue you? He's selfish, Lila, you're more naive then I believed."

"My savior!"

"Take her back," Rika looked at two believers that stood guard near the doorway who had reentered the room when they heard the commotion between us and the enraged sound of her voice over my own. "And make sure to continue as Saeran instructed of you for now. I would like to see how this turns out. Whether she succumbs to eternal paradise under my hand or becomes disposable."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Wow. That escalated quickly, didn't it? A fast update to you all because I was feeling motivated! I have a cute little art of Lila on my DeviantArt if you're interested, it's lilac-nightmares, same as this account haha.


	18. Chapter 18

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/28/2018.**

* * *

SIXTEEN

"Rose-Colored Broken."

* * *

Warning: some noncon elements in this chapter.

* * *

The door opened before sunrise with a heavy creek - the only person that it could be was standing there with a strange look on his face - like, it didn't fit at all. He was smiling. "Princess - Ray's face is here. Rise up and welcome me, will you? I know you want to see your prince's face. Don't pretend to be asleep. I saw you flinch; Are you tired of Ray already? Hmm - I thought your love for Ray was real. You betray him in mere days already?" Saeran strolled into the room with the door closing behind him firmly. A resounding noise that indicated there was going to a long session between the two of them tonight.

I sat upright and met his gaze. "You're not Ray."

He wasn't him. They were different personas in the same body and both were extremes of the same coin. They were the day and the night and the good in people and the bad in people. Saeran was not Ray and he would never be able to be him. Ray was not Saeran and he could never be Saeran. It would take a long time for him to undo the splitting of himself into pieces if ever he could manage. This person was Saeran... a very cold and angry Saeran - and nobody else.

He was displeased but he kept up the look on his face as he stood in front of me, reaching out and stopping just short of touching my skin. "But Ray used to occupy my body, remember? Don't we give out similar vibes? At least we look the same." He cooed. "C'mon. Look at me, here's Ray's face. The face you love so much. Isn't there a list of things you want to do to him? Like, perhaps a kiss? What were you thinking? Where did you let those stupid fantasies of yours take you? What? Are you too shy to tell me? You're a toy. You shouldn't be feeling shy..." Saeran was growing closer. He had a hold on me before I could lift my hands.

"You still don't know your place, or is it because you're too stupid to remember? You're too stupid for me to play with. You're no fun. Should I just throw you away now? I can throw you out after playing with you in the basement. You should entertain me if you don't want me to take you there. Now that I've explained it to you so nicely, don't tell me you still don't get it." Saeran leaned over and got in my face this time around. We were barely inches from each other and I could feel his breath against my cheek. My body felt like it was trembling.

"I'll pretend to be Ray. So do that thing again. You know, what you did in the garden. Come on, I know you're thinking about it." Saeran taunted in a whisper, beckoning me to do as he commanded with a wave of his hand. "I know you want to do that again, think about how easy it would be to pretend he's me. We have the same face. He was talking about how worthless he is and you didn't like that, did you? So, what did you do?"

My heart began to race - my lips parted but the words wouldn't come out. Saeran took hold of my face with his hands. I couldn't turn away from him. He kept talking, "What was that?" Saeran continued. "Do you always kiss somebody when you don't like what they're saying? Is that all it takes? What do I need to say that will make you do that again?"

I shut my eyes.

"It would be very easy for you," Saeran coaxed. "All you need to do is look at me. Look at this face that you know you love."

"No..." It was inaudible.

"C'mon, Lila, you don't have to hide from me. I know you love me - you love this body - this face - don't you want to see your precious prince?" The tone was almost perfect - enough to make my eyes snap open and see him. "Good girl," Saeran praised. That was when he moved. His lips pressed against my own - the sensation was familiar and overwhelming. I wanted to believe that Ray was still here. He was very kind and caring. We always sat with each other and talked about things that we liked - we had become friends in this short time.

He was relentless - twisting up the feelings inside of me with one little kiss, his hands beginning to venture to other regions as I sat there and let him do it. That escalated - the moment his hand touched the bare skin underneath my dress my eyes welling up with tears. It took a long moment for my brain to register what was happening and what I needed to do. This was wrong. This wasn't what I wanted. I pushed him with every bit of strength I could muster. I was breathing hard trying to catch my breath again and he was doing the same. He looked displeased by my actions. Saeran hissed, "If you waste more time, something no fun will happen to you. I'm Ray, you stupid toy. Treat me like Ray, will you?" that was all it took to make me think clearly.

Saeran was not Ray.

"No," I said firmly. "No!"

"What was that?" He asked, slowly.

"I said, no," I repeated to him. I was carving my own death wish by opening my mouth but at this point... I wanted to be my strongest self. "I'm not going to treat you like Ray. Because you... are... not... Ray."

His eyes hardened as we stared at each other in silence. The room was still - a calm quiet before the inevitable hurricane that was coming into the harbor. Saeran wouldn't budge and I wasn't backing down from him now. I had said what I wanted and he didn't like it.

"Why do you love him of all people?" Saeran demanded an answer as his voice elevated throughout the room. My heart began to race despite how hard I was working to keep my cool. "He's insignificant, spineless, and a failure. But you looked at him with those eyes, those stupid eyes that make me sick, show me that face - look at me with that ugly expression so I can break it."

"I am the strongest. This is my body, princess, and Ray isn't ever going to be back for you. If you want to be a good toy without punishment, you'll only see me." His voice plateaued as he leaned forward once more then suddenly took hold of either of my shoulders. "I'll make you see me instead of that airhead." Saeran hissed.

"What are you..." My words cut off by the feeling of his lips pressed against my own once more. It was different than the brief chaste one that I shared with Ray in the garden- that was innocent and a small gesture of compassion. This was rough and uncoordinated - hard and fast with no thinking. My head was spinning. I hadn't even registered he was kissing me until he pulled back briefly and I struggled to catch my breath again.

He stared at me with those eyes of his. They weren't hard like before, they seemed softer. I could almost see Ray's fondness and confusion within them, as well as myself reflected within them. The momentary spell I was under shattered when he spoke once again. "It was that easy to shut your airhead mouth up again?! You disgust me. That's too easy, make it more of a challenge for me, why don't you?" The laughter that followed this was heavy and long-lasting.

"...Stop." I whispered.

I lifted my head, startled like a deer in headlights as he moved once more. My hands raised as I prepared to for what he was planning. My heart rate began to accelerate. What was happening? This was Saeran. He was unhinged, vigorous, and relentless. He was not alright. Saeran grabbed my wrists. The white-haired man pinned them down to the mattress, and no matter how hard I lashed back against him he held tight. "You're my toy, Lila, you understand?" He hissed.

"I don't belong to anyone, Saeran," I told him, my voice shaking at first but starting to find solid ground the more that I managed to get out. "If anyone here is property, it's you! You belong to your own hatred right now. You're letting yourself become someone you weren't meant to be... Hurting me isn't going to make you feel any better!"

"Don't open your mouth again," Saeran warned. "I'll do something you won't fucking like if you do!"

"What do you want me to tell you so badly?" I continued talking despite his threats and warnings. "That I'm nothing and you are everything? You are the strongest and you can't ever be hurt again?! Life is a battle of hurting and triumphs- you can't exist without both and neither is stronger than the other!" My voice was cracking and I found it hard to breathe. "You think you can destroy my body with your hands because you think by hurting me will prove you can't get hurt anymore! That's not the truth in life, Saeran!"

"I can do with you as I please. The savior already permitted me to use you how I please no matter how much you fight. Wouldn't you just like to play along with me?" Saeran reached out and gripped my face with his free hand and made me meet his gaze.

"I'm the strongest here," Saeran repeated himself. "I am in charge."

My eyes were filling up with hot tears but I ignored them. "You aren't the first person to try and use my body for your own fucking desires, Saeran," My body was trembling at the memory that dared to return. My entire focus was on keeping my breath controlled and away from spiraling into a panic attack. I was doing all that I could to keep memories from surfing into perspective - that ghost was just in the corner of my vision. He was always there even if I told myself I wasn't scared of him.

"I'm surprised you didn't figure it out - or that my Dad didn't say anything about it," I choked through the tears that were escaping me. "I've already been used and abused by a man! You can try to destroy me like that but it makes you no better than that man! How mighty that makes you for thinking about that! What a power trip that would be, huh?! What kind of strength would that be?!"

But... Saeran, Ray. I missed the fond smile that had once been on his face. Ray was never the whole of Saeran, but he was a glimpse into the boy that had once been whole. He had been dragged into the place by someone who wanted to use him as a pawn- and he was crumbling before my eyes. Saeran released my wrists for a brief second. I loved Ray - I now understood that unlike before. He had shown me kindness and I wanted to show him the world. But this persona of chaos that Rika had tortured him into was someone who needed all the realizations in the world to bring from the darkness.

He needed to find his own way out of the darkness.

"Nothing proves how strong you can be like taking advantage of someone, huh?" I whispered.

Saeran stared at me as if he didn't understand. This was my opportunity. I pushed against him with all of my might when I snapped out of my stupor. It was too much for me - too much for him. Saeran stumbled back a few steps away from me, his face lined with pain and surprise that I had actually fought back with my body so strongly. He stared at me, blankly, before clutching his head all of a sudden. "...My head." I heard him say.

"...?"

"Don't you look at me like that! Don't... Don't come any closer!" His breathing was erratic and unhinged and he sank to his knees on the ground. He was spiraling out of control. Saeran was confused. "Why did I...?" Saeran seemed to be fighting with himself- with his own pain as he sat there. When his head lifted once more his eyes were brimming with liquid tears. Saeran shifted against the cold floor. "...Where?" He trailed off as his voice cracked, repeating it once more to himself as he looked around the room as if he didn't know where he was anymore.

"Where am...?" Another strangled groan of pain escaped his lips as he sank to the floor and groveled in pain. "Stop. Stop it. Please stop." He begged in a whisper.

I stared at him, unsure of what I was seeing. "...What's wrong?"

 _Saeran...?_ He was crying now and he was pleading with someone. "Please don't leave me alone... I'll say silent like a grave. I'll do anything. So, please. Leave me alone. Stop...!"

"...Ray?" The name left my lips in a hesitant flow as I realized that shift in his posture had been Saeran's loss of control over his body. It appeared as though his hold wasn't as strong right now- I didn't know much about personality disorders, but it was clear to me that the man in front of me wasn't the same as the one who entered the room. "It's me, Lila. It's okay. I'm still here."

He wasn't hearing me. He was only clutching his hair hard enough to bring himself pain. "I want to be alone. I want to be alone! Please leave me alone... I don't want to do this anymore." He continued.

My brain knew better to come close to him after what he had done, but if that was Ray underneath the pain than I couldn't sit there as he cried. "He's fighting you, isn't he?" My knees were wobbly as I stood up but I clenched my teeth through the pain. I sank down on the ground next to him and hesitantly reached out with my hand.

Ray didn't react. "Uh... You're... You're..." He trailed off. His eyes were clouded and he was dazed as there was no awareness within them. Ray winced at the pain that soured through him and clutched his white locks tight as if it would stop his pain. "My head is... aching." It left his lips in an unsure whisper. Ray lifted his head and looked at me once again. Something registered in his green eyes and he stared wide-eyed at me as if he had just figured out who I was.

"Lila..." He uttered my name with a pained cry.

I reached out and took hold of his hand. He held it tight as if he thought I would disappear. This action was the most that either of us had interacted mutually before in all my time here, just his hand in mine. "What have I done to you? Oh, no... No! How could I ever do this to you? No...! Lila... I'm so sorry. This is all my fault. Don't forgive me. Just throw me away right now before he comes back. You need to go before he comes back, please." Ray was trembling underneath it all.

This was scary for him. It was scary for me. Despite his tears, he didn't push me away even though it was clear he wanted me to stay away from him.

"Lila... I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. What do I do? What should I do? I hurt you. I made you shiver in pain... No... Are you alright? Didn't it hurt? Why are you so thin...? This is worse than before... I can't believe this... I'll never forgive myself." Ray shook with fear. He kept rambling in circles and began to not make sense as he rocked on the ground back and forth. "I'll never forgive myself for touching you."

"Ray, Ray... You didn't do this, Saeran did... You need to stay calm, okay? Are you in control right now...?" My voice soft as I tried to lure him down from his panic attack.

"I don't know. I might be dragged back into the abyss. So please, just... ugh... My head is killing me... I think I'll pass out any moment. Lila, please... leave me here and... go. Ray... wasn't supposed to last from the beginning. I was in denial of my weakness... Ray... was created by bunching up all my weakness... So it would go away someday." He admitted.

I shook my head, indignantly. "You're not weak. You're just as strong as you think he is. Please, let me help you."

"Ever since I met you... I thought maybe I could stay... but... Saeran is my real name. Ray never existed in the first place... I'm Saeran, and... this devilish side is also... a part of me. Lila... Both Ray and Saeran are me..." he whispered. Ray closed his eyes and let out a whimper. "I'm here with you. I'm not scared." I reminded him. "I know it's scary right now... But you came back in control on all your own, remember? You can be just as strong as him because you are both sides of the same person."

"You truly are a princess from another world... I'm sorry I lied to you." His voice was torn as he spoke. "You should never have come to Magenta. I should never have tried to bring you here for my own selfish desires beyond what the Savior wanted of me."

"Ray, I don't regret coming here despite how things have turned out. I'm glad I met you." I whispered. My Father was a monster and my I couldn't bring myself to think about the revelation that Rika was to me. Everything that had occurred here since I had stepped foot in the building had been one trainwreck after the next but through it all... I could say I was still standing firmly here. "I promise we're going to fulfill those dreams of yours someday. You need to believe in yourself. Fight back against him as hard as you can. See the truth."

He needed to fight against Rika's hold on his mind. I couldn't do that for him no matter how hard I fought to keep him steady. His inner demon could drag him back into the abyss at any moment. I would keep pushing him to pull himself away from the darkness- I was going to go down screaming. If I could stand my ground in front of Rika then I knew I was stronger then I once was.

"I'm scared... I'm scared. Lila... the only time I wasn't scared was when I was... ugh." He stopped himself short. Ray pushed me away and stumbled to his feet as his panic began to rise once again. He bolted towards the door and stumbled into the hallway. "Stay away from me. You have to stay far away from me...!"

My eyes brimmed with tears.

* * *

 **Saeran has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran:** What have you done to me?!

 **Saeran:** That airhead will never come back. That loser will never come back. That weakling will never come back! This body cannot last without me. Because I'm strong. That weak skeleton will always let people hurt him.

 **Saeran:** He'll always be scared and shiver. But I won't.

 **Saeran:** I'm nothing like him! My rage is my shield. If I don't get angry, If I don't have my rage, I cannot survive with this body. Do you get it? I'm right. I'm the right one. I'm the right one to stay.

 **Saeran:** Hah I don't like this. Hey Lila, I don't like you. You thought you were so great and you actually woke that skeleton and chatted with him. You're nothing but a useless toy. You think I was joking when I said I'll throw you out? No

 **Saeran:** No. I'll go tell savior to get rid of you right now... You're dead. The end. Get lost from this world forever with that pathetic prince of yours.

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**

All that was left was for me to set the phone down. I had ignored this chatroom the moment it opened because I feared what had become of Saeran or Ray - what would be happening. Saeran had gained control once again, and the slim hope that I had was starting to slip away. I breathed in and out. I couldn't focus on that. I couldn't think about him right now.

I just couldn't.

* * *

 _CLAUDE_

His eyes were glazed over and his body wracked with agony as the elixir coursed through his veins. It was his divine punishment, he got what he deserved for going against the savior. He accepted it with open arms and took what he had coming. He enjoyed the feeling of pain, a reminder that he was truly alive and on the right path once and for all.

"It's a shame It's come to this." She was standing over him as he lay there on the floor groveling at her feet as he did. "Have you learned your lesson?" The Savior asked him in an expectant tone.

Claude lifted his head enough to meet her green eyes. Those eyes reminded so much of something but he couldn't quite put his tongue on the memory. The elixir had a way of clouding his memory and dulling things out, but it gave a pleasant feeling upon sight each and every time. "My apologies, my savor. I thought if she learned the truth she would finally see what you wished for her."

The savior was angry with his youngest daughter, her youngest sister. She had tried to steal that boy after all. He had never taken Lila to be a girl of that means, and this surprised him.

"She's blind to our ways." She told him. "She refuses to listen and I am at my limit."

"She is still your youngest sister." Claude reminded her. "I know she is a burden and childish... But please do consider not removing her from the equation entirely, if she breaks and sees the right way in life than she will still be an asset to you... To spread the word across the universe."

The savior was quiet as she took this information from him. She seemed to be musing this deeply as if weighing the costs and benefits of someone who had already angered her to her very core. Once she made up her mind, she spoke up.

"If she survives the cleansing ceremony, then I won't dispose of her completely. For your sake alone, father."

"Thank you, my savior." He murmured.

Her lips curled into a Cheshire grin. "I intend on meeting my other sister very soon... Do you think that is a splendid possibility to be?"

"She can be swayed with the right words, the words only you know how to use so gracefully. I believe if you wish to bring her to paradise that she would do as you pleased. If you hold the right bargaining piece in your hands, savior."

"Excellent."

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** Lila, I thought you have learned your lesson.

 **Wisteria:** He isn't completely lost.

 **Rika:** If you so wish to believe such error as you victory, you're free to stay drowned in that delirious intoxication. Saeran is usually furious. He shrieked that we should get rid of you right now. I believe I-oh-so-generously told you...

 **Rika:** Now that you've been disqualified from the RFA mission... the only role you can assume in this place is a weed to be trampled by the strong.

 **Wisteria:** Saeran's trauma is as deep as Ray's trauma.

 **Rika:** You actually saw that?

 **Rika:** No matter how much Saeran tried to dub you a good for nothing, despite your inconsistencies that you're clever. Nevertheless, that doesn't mean you can continue to be arrogant, that you can take Ray back, You might have lasted longer here if you had not been so arrogant. You'll perish much sooner than I had hoped.

 **Rika:** I must say you deserve it now, sister. You've brought this upon yourself.

 **Wisteria:** Saeran might "look" strong to you, but it's to me that he's going to fall apart any moment.

 **Rika:** From now on I decide what to do with him. Why don't you care more about your well-being? Would you like me to tell you why Ray came back momentarily?

 **Rika:** Saeran was... in delusion. It's a common side effect of the elixir. Even if Ray comes back by some slim chance, it does not change the fact that today will be the last day that you can breathe peacefully here

 **Wisteria:** I don't want to sink to your level right now. You want me to tell you I hate you, don't you? I will not bend to your darkness, Rika.

 **Rika:**...A backbone, even now. I should make you confess everything Ray told you before I get rid of the person you are now...

 **Rika:** The cleansing ceremony soon to come will be very special entertainment.

 **Wisteria:** Are you afraid of me as much as I am of you? Is that why you wish to dispose of me? You hate me because you fear losing your pawn.

 **Rika:** Revel in your delusions. I can't possibly be afraid of you. Hm. Since the RFA's party has been canceled... perhaps I should make your cleansing ceremony a party.

 **Rika:** The believers will be ecstatic. At the same time, they'll come to fear me and Saeran even more...After that, you're no longer useful.

 **Wisteria:** Saeran, Ray... They'll never forgive you for what you've done.

 **Rika:**...How pathetic. That's not even worth scoffing at. Lila, I appreciate your work until now. I hope you enjoy this messenger until all the preparations are done. Excuse me.

 **Rika:** For the eternal paradise.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**


	19. Chapter 19

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/27/2018.**

* * *

 **INTERLUDE III** : Takes place before Chapter Seventeen.

* * *

Rika hadn't expected to find Saeran on the floor this soon. He had already told her that he didn't see anything in that girl, her younger sister. He continued to torment her for fun, and it was getting out of hand. She couldn't stand to let him waste his time on this lost cause. She was barely going to keep her if she lived beyond her ceremony, her anger at this pathetic girl was strong.

She had thought that this girl would be more like herself, but sadly, it appeared as though the only thing that the two of them shared was the smallest similarities with their height. Lila continued to deny her darkness, she decided to see a world that was meaningless... Yet. She had come to see if Lila had changed her mind yet given her circumstances and instead found Saeran causing s ruckus with the guards.

Past encounters made it seem impossible but she wondered if she may very well crack given all that her precious Saeran had done so far.

"Mr. Saeran, like I said, this place is off-limits... ugh!" Then on guard of watching Lila's room had to deal with Saeran on a near constant basis now since he was in and out of this room so often. But earlier when the Savior told him to keep everyone out of this room to keep the girl waiting for the special ceremony, and that included Saeran in the mix.

He was angry with this and kept pushing him.

Saeran glowered at this man. His teeth bared and eyes set into a hard glare he raised his fists in rage. "Shut before I kill you. I'm bored, so I'm here to take a look at her. Why are you stopping me?" He demanded.

"Mr. Saeran! Please calm yourself!" The man begged him.

"This is annoying... you're annoying. You're annoying! You're all annoying. Hah... You think you're stronger than me? You think you're better than me? I can get rid of all of you if I want to! I'm the strongest here! No one can command me... Don't you dare me what to do!" Saeran said. He was off into another fit of anger and there was no telling what he was going to try to do if he kept up at this rate.

"Mr. Saeran!"

Saeran grabbed the man by the collar and yanked up him upright into the air. He was clearly beyond mere anger now. "No one can tell me what to do! I'm not afraid of anything. I'm strong, I'm really strong...!"

"Saeran, let my believer go." She stepped shadows and made her appearance to the small group.

It was the Savior! They all realized.

Saeran immediately lets him free and the man took the time to get ways away from the white-haired man. All eyes in the corridor were on her magnificent Savior. She stood there with her hands placed in front of her and a calm expression on her face compared to enraged some upon Saeran.

"I know that you're strong. So you don't have to scream like that." She told Saeran firmly. His control wasn't yet what he could have had it, but she would not complain as he was reveling in his truest self. He could know better than to cause a ruckus, however, this evening would be enough.

Something resonated in Saeran's eyes as she praised him. He liked to be praised, as he should have. "Hah, that's right. I'm not afraid of anything. I can do anything for you, no matter how horrible it is."

"Yes, you're very strong. That's why I feel so safe with you." Rika confirmed.

"Hear that? Do you hear that?! I'll be the one serving her. Because I'm the strongest one here! Cross me, and I won't let you get away with it." Saeran stared at each and every believer in the room and pointed at himself with a wild grin.

"He's right. You should all obey him." Rika nodded her head. They should fear them, after all, she and Saeran were absolute. Saeran needed the confirmation so much as of late, it was strange but she hadn't seen the need to pursue a meaning beyond it. He was only growing in his darkness.

"Haha, you wanted me to drag the RFA here, didn't you? It's only a matter of time for that to happen."

Her lips curled into a smile. "I know, Saeran. I'm so proud of you. So you don't have to scream like that. You're already a brave warrior protecting us." She said. _That's right_ , she thought. _Turn away from this place and get back to work. You have not to need to waste time anymore. You devote yourself to me and me alone._

Saeran began to slow down finally as he resigned himself to the praise she gave to him. "Yes, that's right... I... I can protect someone... I'm not strong enough to do that."

* * *

Saeran went back to his work after the Savior had clarified everything for him.

He was the strongest and as long as she thought that of him he could be powerful.

He could do whatever he wanted as the strongest.

This reminded him, he had gotten so caught up in her praise that he had forgotten why he had been in that hallway in the first place. What had he been doing? His intention had been to bother his toy - that's right. She was just sitting in that room right now. She would surely be waiting for him to pick up his phone.

He lifted his phone up and hit the icon with her face on it. It rang once, twice, and a third time before she answered him on the other line. "Why are you picking up so late? That was three whole rings too late... I told you to answer me immediately. Argh! So annoying... you're annoying! What were you doing? Didn't you hear the large noise outside?"

"I heard you earlier... Is that what you mean?" Lila asked him. Her voice was unsure, nervous even.

"Oh... so you heard everything. You heard everything and didn't even bother to look outside?" He scowled. That was just like her to not do what he wanted to do. She could have seen him and seen the fear that he could instill in others here but no, she stayed I'm her ignored him! "You're supposed to pay attention to me at all times."

"No, I-" Lila started to answer but he cut her off before she could tell him some lame excuse.

Saeran hit his fist against his desk. He was annoyed she hadn't at least tried to come and see the show. "You were so relaxed because I wasn't here, weren't you? Did you have fun as people didn't let me come in here? Did you enjoy it? It won't last long. You watch, nobody can stop me. I'll get rid of everyone and break down that door. You should be prepared for that." Saeran laughed and laughed.

No one could keep him away from her. She was his. Lila was, by all means, his toy. She quivered beneath him the strongest. He had staked his claim and nobody was going him or keep him away from what he decided was his.

Nobody!

Lila had taken a sharp breath. "I thought you didn't care about me, Saeran. Why are you trying so hard to get to me?" She asked him in that soft tone that made to vomit. Did she really think there was some higher purpose to him wanting to play with his toy? They needed to finish what that airhead had stopped him from doing the last time they had interacted. Her lips against his own had been satisfying, he hadn't realized that he could have more until she had begun blubbering about something from her past.

Ray never saw Lila beyond some sappy hand holding now that he thought about it. It made to laugh.

"You think there's some higher meaning? Meaning! Don't make me laugh! Aren't you just full of yourself? You must be happy waiting for your disposal while shivering in fear, all lonely in that room. Who the hell are you to make me think? You're such worthless dust! The reason why you're so calm like this now because you don't know what the cleansing ceremony is like. Let's see if you can keep calm when the ceremony starts... let's see. Do you know what happens when you intake more than a specific amount of elixir? It differs from people but the majority because miserable. However, many try to be strong, everyone eventually crawls on the floor crying out like an animal." He told her with a grin.

"Are you scared of me now?" Saeran asked, waiting for her to say something. "Is my name going to leave your lips next time you cry out in fear? That's all I dream of. Fear me. Fear my strength."

That would show her. Lila was acting so high and mighty right now but soon she would be in pain and she would wipe that look from her face. She would know her lesson finally. Was she thinking about someone else? Was that the issue? He was the divine here - if she should be scared of anyone she should be only afraid of him. She had it coming for her now. "Savior said your ceremony will proceed very specially. That a powerful ceremony is being prepared, one that can't be compared to any... Savior's words are always right but, I'm not sure if such special preparations are necessary to cleanse someone like you. I shall tell the savior that it's not worthwhile to waste the elixir to something like you." He said.

She was his toy!

Why not allow him to do it?

Why not let him drain the hope out?

Why not?

He scowled at the thought. For some reason, he was very angry that no one would let him keep toying with her. He was the one that brought her to this place and she needed to be his until the very end. That was only fair. He had already claimed her months ago. There was something to be said about that bond he had. Looking for her for so long. "However much I think about it... You're most adequate to be used as my toy like now, and then get thrown away. You're a weak and useless moron who doesn't even deserve to be cleansed!"

Saeran hung up on her.

* * *

 **RAY:** A MONTH AND A HALF AGO

And so, Ray worked to connect with the girl through this mysterious phone. It took some time and fine-tuning - he was rerouting through Mr. Claude's accounts in a roundabout manner to learn more about this girl. It was strange how this device had applications similar to the ones he had seen in previous searches for candidates, but the names and interfaces were warped backward.

This world on the other end of this phone was intriguing to him.

He was learning more about it through his search on Lila. Her social media was very plain compared to others. It was straightforward but there was something intriguing by how simple she was. He noted of the basics of her information to memory as he scrolled through the feed.

NAME: LILA "WISTERIA" MARIÈ LANCELOT

AGE: TWENTY-ONE YEARS OLD

OCCUPATION: FREELANCE ARTIST

HEIGHT: 155CM

Her profile photo was of the same girl that he had seen before in the photograph that he had gotten from Mr. Claude. She had brown hair and it was carefully tucked out of her face as she sat in front of an easel with her brush on the canvas. Lila was facing the camera and smiling at whoever was taking this image but the smile did not reach her eyes.

She looked strangely upset. He couldn't quite understand why that was. Ray decided he didn't like this look. He had more to research before he could garner an answer. His fingers went to shuffling further through the data pool. She had a pattern of posting and he almost could already assume what her password would be. She seemed like the kind of girl who used the same one for everything.

Most of her accounts were already listed on this particular one, so he already knew her email address. It was saving him many steps already. He would be able to meet her very soon if he kept finding things like this. He continued to search for what she had.

She had a sister and she only interacted with her by what he saw. The sister had been in that photograph he had gained looked less like her, the sister's hair was blonde and a similar shade to the Savior's hair. She stood taller them Lila and wore a glasses. Something about that woman reminded him of his own problem and he clicked beyond images of her.

It appeared as though Lila rarely communicated with others unless it was about business- but she had an affinity for posting photos of her paintings and of works in progress though there were not many photos of herself on this heard once he managed to gain access to her password that he would find more. He flipped through the dozen of images until finger hovered above the final image.

He paused.

Ray raised an eyebrow at the painting. This painting caught his eye for some reason. It was a finely textured piece that showed the sunrise in a wooded area. As a young child, he never got to see a sunrise or a sunset for very long. The blue sky was the most he had ever see, and it was the one he was fondest... but this perspective made him feel strange.

The caption she had written underneath it was: "I spent the last month recovering out of the hospital in Grandma's garden. I don't sleep well but every morning I get to see the sunrise over her garden and it reminds me that maybe the world isn't such a terrible place. I feel optimistic as I see the sunrise, like a Phoenix-born anew."

She would flourish in paradise, with him and with the Savior. "Lila..." He murmured his eyes sparkling with wonder. "I can't wait to meet you."

Something on the computer behind him chimed. He spun around in his chair and stared at the monitor. It appeared as though the algorithm had been a success- he had cracked the path into the girl's phone and she was closer than she had been ever before. It was only a matter of time!

The Savior would be overjoyed with him.

* * *

Rika decided to take the moment to ring up Lila and see what she thought of that commotion. The girl answered after the second ring, and that pleased her. The last time she had attempted a call to her through the messenger she had the gall to decline her! What a child she was.

"Hello. Are you having a fun time? Just a while ago, Saeran put on an interesting show. You must have heard it in your room. Thinking of which... We gave that boy two options, and he chose you instinctively out of that choice. I didn't put much thought into then since both choices would come here someday... but considering that today. It's interesting. Saeran doesn't know it himself but... I believe there's a reason why that child has chosen you. Isn't it because... that child have felt instinctively the person he can step all over on? He might have thought you as his prey since he was with you the first time. It's somewhat a shame." She ran her fingers through her hair.

"You showed potential to grow. It was confusing at first when you came here but had you chosen the right path, the way of Mint Eye, you could have become stronger. We could have dreamed of the avast far future if you accepted our offer to be with us."

"I won't become one of you," Lila said. What malice in her voice she had. That was a step up from the last time they spoke.

"No, I understand as you fit better in the outside world... Something that doesn't curse will eventually break. The taller you stand, the more we want to break you. That's the reason why Saeran acts outrageously when he sees you. You're only left with breaking now. How unfortunate. What a poor little thing... Why didn't you run away when you had the chance when Ray was being nice to you?" Rika asked. She had to taunt the poor thing. She had a chance to get out of here if she wanted to badly. She stayed despite her feelings.

How foolish to stay for love. "I don't run away anymore. I act with my heart - what I know is right." Lila said. Rika could just imagine her shaking in place and trying not to cry. She had a big talk but she kept pushing herself down with the way that she held herself. "I'm not afraid of you. I'm not going to run away from my fears - I don't care what you say."

Rika scoffed. She was just asking to have a hard time later when her ceremony began. It would be drawn out and fun for all involved. "Yes. You may be right if you were outside of Magenta. The set mind you have... keep it till the end. The more you do, the more the ceremony will be. This will be enough fun to enjoy before the party. You're shaking... Are you afraid of the destiny that will soon befall you? Wait for it. All the preparations shall soon be complete."

"Try me," Lila whispered.

"I guess I should admire your ability to fight someone stronger than yourself like you have. Such tenacity... I pity you. It's a shame you fight against paradise till the very end, little sister. They will be coming for you soon. You will see me soon enough."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

We are getting into some strong territory. I wonder where we're headed from here... Well, I know. You all do not! Anyway, I wasn't going to update until Monday but I had something pretty bad happen and I ended up using this to cope with my panic attack. Also, if you're interested in my MY HERO ACADEMIA fic but don't like AO3 then you are in luck. I uploaded everything on FFN and you can go check out that now!


	20. Chapter 20

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

 **THIS CHAPTER HAS UNDERGONE A MAJOR EDIT AS OF 6/28/2018.**

* * *

SEVENTEEN

"Pressure."

* * *

There was a knock at the door.

They didn't bother to lock me inside of this room now because there wasn't but a few hours left until Rika was coming for me. I could step out if I wanted, but there would be no point. If I discounted the guard that was on this floor, that was nothing compared to the ones that were all over this place and around each and every single corner. They were crawling up and down the building without a care. There was no way to get out of here without somebody spotting me, not that I was going to even try it now.

I stared at the door.

Should I even have bothered to see who it was at this point? My feet screamed at me as I stood up and went to open the door. When the frame moved into inwards, I was greeted by the sight of a Believer with their hood blocking the view of their face from me. If I was going to go down here, I wasn't going to sit here and let them push me around.

My eyes hardened on them, and I opened my mouth to tell them off. "Look, I'm not afraid to go down kicking and-"

"...Shh. Quiet." They reached out and placed a hand on my mouth as I backed up into the room and they shut the door behind us.

Wait, that voice.

"...V?" I asked, unsure.

"Yes, it's me. Please stay quiet." V advised. The hood fell from his head and revealed himself to me. He looked alright in comparison to my disheveled state, which he clearly had noticed now that the two of us were alone in this room. "What happened...? You look terrible... Have you been eating properly?" He grimaced.

The look on my face told him enough.

"Here, have some of this. Help yourself."

He had some bread. I couldn't have been happier to see a scrap of food then I had been ever before in my life. "Thank you." I breathed.

"I've been waiting for my opportunity all this time, and I was finally able to come here again. I was able to blend in with other believers to get here. I almost couldn't make it. However, I'm afraid it's impossible to take you out of this place. They have doubled the security to watch over your room. I am so sorry... I thought you were on good terms with Saeran."

My face fell flat. So, there were murmurs among the believers about what Saeran had and had not been doing to me. "Yeah, things have changed since I spoke to you last." I managed to tell him.

V frowned. "The rumors told me you are going through misfortunes you definitely do not deserve... and I see now, that those rumors were true. I am so sorry I am late." He bowed his head.

"You did what you could, V. I'm not mad," I said.

"What exactly has been happening...? If you can tell me about it without much problem I mean." He inquired.

Between my uncertainty, falling for someone that I couldn't protect, learning my father wasn't dead and I had a half-sister from a parallel dimension who was seeking to destroy me... I wasn't sure what to tell him. There was so much happening to me that it wanted to come out as word vomit. "It's Saeran... Well, Ray as well. He's been so traumatized that he developed different personalities to handle his grief, and one of his personas has nothing but anger at the world. He's the one that's been causing whatever you may have heard out there." I said carefully.

That's what was the immediate issue. "A second persona? I didn't know Saeran would be suffering so much... Oh, so that's why his attack pattern changed... You've suffered unspeakable agony, haven't you? Everyone at the RFA is worried about you. You suddenly lost connection ever since I announced that the party will be on hold... Everyone's worried about you. If I had known you were being treated like this... I would have come sooner. I am sorry."

"I'm not upset with you V," I told him sincerely. He was trying his best with what he had so I couldn't bring myself to be upset. "I hate to tell you this, but I've been through much worse than this before. I just... I don't know what to do anymore. My world is upside down right now because there are things that are going on here that I can't wrap my head around."

It was my problem to bear with. But, as for Saeran, we both held the same intentions for him. He needed to get free of this place. With the few encounters, he had with Saeran here that I had seen he never seemed to know why or how he had ended up the way he did. It was clear that Rika had taken him sometime long ago and this was what had become of him. V did not know how bad he was now. I wonder what went wrong after they saved him?

"Do you have any idea what Rika has done to him?" I whispered, steering the conversation away from myself and back to the subject at hand. Saeran, Ray, the ones that needed protection.

"I'm afraid I don't know the length of which she's worked. I'm starting to despise myself. Appearently, I can help you with nothing as of now. It's a karma I deserve, I created a secret I couldn't control and this is where it has brought me. Since things have taken a turn for the worse, I'll be completely honest with you as you have with me." V's shoulders slumped.

He was blaming himself for everything that had transpired so far and that was hard to stomach.

"It's all my fault something like this has befallen you. I told the RFA that Rika had committed suicide, and by extension, you. However, that's not the truth." He said. V looked tired. There was a weight on him that was dragging him down lower and lower. His relationship with Rika had caused him a lot of grief.

"Why would you do that?" I asked.

Why indeed. That was the question of the century. His love for her was far too beyond what was healthy anymore.

"I thought to should hide the truth in order to protect everyone. Rika was brilliant on the surface, but... she contained dark complications within her. I was the only one among the RFA who knew that, as I was her fiance. I thought Rika's darkness would melt away if I bathed her with my love. However, she did not give up her darkness. Ultimately, she left the RFA and established an illegal cult called the Mint Eye." V explained. His eyes darting around the room.

Neither of us could be sure when Saeran would be coming or when a believer would drop by to cause trouble. We were scrapped for time. This place was a sitting duck in a pond surrounded by tigers.

"She's the savior here," I grimaced when the image of the blonde woman popped into my skull. Her outstretched hand in the darkness had been haunting the back of eyelids every time I blinked. "I'm well aware now that's the case. How long has she been doing this that you know of?"

"I found out she's the creator of this place approximately a month after her disappearance. It took less than a month for her to complete over half of this building, and she's got several authorities behind her back. I assume she stole part of the profile data on RFA's guests and utilized her gift of speech to turn them into her believers. That's why Luciel and I deleted all the data in her apartment. I deleted all traces of her except for a couple of pictures. I thought I would be able to bring her back."

"Unfortunately, now, the only thing occupying her sight is the Mint Eye. So I bought her some time, and that thought remains unchanged. However, I couldn't tell the rest of the RFA. If I do, either Rika or the RFA will have to stop existing. I don't want anyone to get hurt." He was genuine as he stared at me. His voice shaking just a bit despite his efforts to hide it.

"Rika is the founder of the RFA... the figure of reverence for all. But if I were to confess that she has been disfigured beyond imagination... I thought my confession would traumatize everyone at the RFA... and Rika would be far from safe, either. So that's why I lied that she had taken her own life... So no one would search for her."

I understood his reasoning but I didn't agree with it necessarily. "You want to protect the ones you love. I can understand that the length at which you've gone is beyond my imagination... but was that really the best?" I asked. Was it really the best case scenario when Rika needed more help than he could have ever imagined for her mental state? Something had happened between now and the time after they saved the twins.

Something had to have driven Rika to crack.

It wasn't V, per say. But there was something here that I didn't know, that V possibly didn't know about her, that was the driving force for why the world had spun out of control like this.

A part of me didn't want to blame V as much as he was telling me to blame him. He was trying so hard to right his wrongs and keep everyone safe but it was wearing him down. He was at fault for some of the misgivings, but Rika was also at fault for many other things. This wasn't something he had to bear alone like he was. I saw a piece of myself in those pained eyes.

"It was, according to my love. However, I had no idea that Saeran had become such a cruel person because of her. It was my duty to protect him as well. How in the world am I going to ask for Saeyoung's forgiveness?" He trailed as if an unknown voice would give him the answers.

"..." I took in a breath.

Neither of us had the answer to that.

There was no guarantee that Saeyoung would take this well. It had hurt him enough in another timeline that played it before my eyes. There wasn't time for Saeyoung to deal with V and those thoughts because the situation was beyond comprehension and too much had been going on. I knew that as long as we could save Saeran sooner rather than later, it would give all the difference for what was to come.

It wasn't time to worry and think about what was to come or who would think what.

"Those twins need my protection more than ever." He told me once his thoughts calmed.

"The Prime Minister, right?" I asked.

"...You're sharp. Saeyoung and Saeran are the illegitimate sons of the prime minister who sought to purchase my works. Long ago, Rika and I rescued Saeyoung and Saeran from an abusive household, and we assumed their guardians... to protect them from him, that is. Their father is an extremely powerful authority. He's currently on the move to eliminate his own sons... Luciel had to so desperately hide his true identity throughout his life, why he's where he is now. I never knew Rika would use Saeran like this." V whispered that last bit. He still couldn't believe that Saeran was like he was now.

I couldn't believe could either and I could expect him coming at me at any time he wished to you around.

"They're both in crisis right now. Their existence would serve as a huge fault in the Prime Minister's future political career. When you return to the RFA in the days to come, please keep this a secret. Along with the truth about Rika... You will leave here safe and sound. I'll do my best to make it so." He said. V clenched his fists. He would do anything for them, I realized.

"While I came to check on your well-being... at the same time, I wanted to ask if you knew if the Prime Minister had ever approached Saeran but... However, I now see that Saeran has changed and you're in danger. I realized I can no longer neglect my faults. I'm terribly sorry. It's all my fault you found yourself in the middle of this. I will find a way... to protect you, Saeran, and Saeyoung from Rika. I will."

This proclamation hung heavy above us.

He meant what he said.

My legs felt weak already from the whirlwind of feelings and energy it took to keep myself afloat. I sat there and stared at my knees. For the few physical interactions I had with the darker moods that Saeran bore, I had only a few bruises to speak of. Where he gripped my wrists too tight and refused to budge and where my knees had gone red from staying low.

It wasn't as bad as I thought but I was still sore. I was sure I looked worse for wear to V.

I lifted my head up if only to meet his gaze once again. "Do you... Do you know something that I could use to try and bring Saeran back from the edge? Anything, any clue? Anything you think remember would be nice?" I asked him. It may have come out as a desperate question, but I would have taken any piece of information that I could get my hands on top of.

V looked unsure. His lips set in a line as he thought. "I'm not sure. I know nothing about his second persona... The real Saeran from my last memory of him was... an innocent boy who loved flowers. It looks me too long to realize that Rika has been training him in secret." He said.

The room went quiet as he and I dealt with this information.

A part of me was kind of glad that I had so many people worried for my well-being as I had never had that before but at the same time, they were in chaos because of Saeran and Saeyoung's father closing in. I held my arms around myself and shut my eyes tight. Things were going south fast for everyone in the RFA.

I feared for their safety as the truth lingered just out of their reach. The truth... The truth... There was always something nobody dared speak to keep others safe. I was tired of the secret but I wasn't sure that I would be able to survive another round of the truth. First, it had been my Father not being deceased and existing here, second, it had been the revelation of a new sister, Rika... The last being the reality that I was in an entirely different world from my own with no way to get back without trusting my father.

V now had his back to me and I longed for someone to just know what was eating away at me.

"She's my sister." My mouth betrayed me as I uttered those very words that I had been fighting for days.

"What was that?" V whipped his head around and looked at me directly.

"Rika." Her name left my lips.

It was a soft, twisted laugh that I had after that admission. All of the words were coming out all of a sudden. I couldn't ignore anymore. I just couldn't shake the truth. "I don't think she would want me to tell you since not even Saeran is aware of this but it's the truth. My father is her father. She brought me here for the sake of the sake of reuniting with her blood family and developing this cult around that power structure." I found myself talking about a filter. "At least, that's what I think. I don't understand her entirely enough to guess her motives. She's been trying to manipulate me the way she's done our father. He was a bad man already, but now he's fueling her fire, V. If I or you thought she had strayed from her former self, we would be wrong as she's far beyond what the RFA thinks of her."

My body began to shake - to tremble with the fear and realization that I couldn't bear with. "She's been trying to manipulate me this whole time. She wants me to sink to this level of darkness that I don't want. She wants me to hate her - but I can't bring myself to entirely hate someone whose supposed to be my own sister, V. I'm angry with what she's become and what's she's done," My voice was cracking up my eyes were flooding with tears. "I will never forgive her for what she's done to him - done to Saeran - but, for your sake and the blood that ties us together, I want her to be able to stop this and get the right psychological care she needs away from people before she can hurt anyone else."

Including you, V.

V was slack-jawed but it passed. "She never knew her family." V began to speak as he approached me and laid a hand on my shoulder. My first reaction was a flinch but I eased myself out of it. V wasn't going to lash out at me like that. "She was adopted as a young child and would never allow me to know the extent of her despair... But she always thought, and this was without saying, that she had been abandoned by those who gave her life."

"That wasn't the case though." I choked out the words as I was unable to think clearly. "She was given away by her own mother without our father knowing before it was too late to get her back. He somehow found her when she first made this place and things have spiraled, V. She's using him and he's using her somehow. I don't know everything. I just don't have any idea - I just - you needed to know before you tried anything."

"Lila, it's alright," V said. His words didn't reach his eyes but he meant what he was trying to say. "I just can't believe she dragged you into this. I wish you had met under better circumstances given your true relationship."

"I wish that were the case," I whispered. There were many wishes that I had about this place. The only sole factor that I wish I could have changed was what Rika had done- if she could have been stopped before she dragged Saeran into this and all these others then maybe the world wouldn't be such a mess. I wouldn't have to see anyone in pain.

That image of Saeran terrified along the few instances we shared wouldn't leave my head every time I closed my eyes. "I know you want to save her, V, and that you love her even now despite all she's done. But I want you to know that if you try to do that than it's going to be something you can't do alone like you're trying right now."

V was quiet and wasn't saying anything.

"I want to get him out of here first," I said. "Then, if you want to get her the help she needs, I'll do whatever I can to help you. Because once she's out of this place it's sure to fizzle into nothing like it is now. Nobody else will have to get hurt once that is a reality. This place won't survive without Rika and her hold on Saeran."

There was a knock at the door.

V was pulled from his stupor as both of our eyes trailed to the door. His time was up for now and he had to get back out there before someone got suspicious. He shared a pained look with me before he turned his back to the door. "...It appears someone wants to come in. Don't forget, Lila. I'll always be watching you in order to protect you. So, please, be safe until you're rescued."

* * *

"Mr... Mr. Saeran." The believer that stood guard at the door was dealing with the third attempt from Saeran thus far. After the Savior had calmed him the second time, he had foolishly assumed that Saeran wouldn't be back for the rest of the day. It was getting tedious to sit here and listen to the white-haired man lash out at this woman and him. It wouldn't be much longer, however, because the ceremony would be taking place later and that boy would have his fill later.

Saeran wasn't backing down. "Out of my way. She's a goner anyway, isn't she? I'm just going to have some fun before she's gone for good." He hissed.

"But the Savior..." The man trailed off uncertain.

Saeran pushed past him without a single glance and just commanded his words as he did. "You heard the savior approve of me already! Get out of my way! Do you want me to reserve you a seat for cleansing later?!"

"Please go ahead."

I could hear the commotion from inside of the room. I wasn't sure that I could face him after that mess I had with v in the early morning. I was crouched in the corner of the room just trying to hold my breath and think about what I was going to say when he found me. "Come out, wherever you are, my toy... I said, come out!" He seethed with anger when I wasn't in his direct line of sight.

"Calm down," I told him as I stood up on my wobbly legs. "I'm right here."

"Who are you to give me orders to me? You don't deserve to say anything. I already told you. Do you know why you're being dragged to the cleansing ceremony? It's all your fault, not mine. It's because you did everything wrong! You ended up like this because you did useless things. You're an airhead, Lila! You're good for nothing too! Don't let me see that horrible face of yours! Then again, this makes no sense at all. Why do they get to dispose of you? You're my toy! Why can't I enjoy the finale? Why do I have to miss all the fun?!" He said.

Saeran walked forward until there was no space between us but a single step.

"Saeran, please. That's enough. You're just hurting yourself!" I said, softly.

"Shut up! What kind of logic is that? You know nothing about me! I'm in a violent mood right now. If you do anything to tick me off. I'm going to throw you away right here. I don't care what you think. You just nod to whatever I tell you to do. I told you hundreds of times you don't deserve to say anything! I'll throw you out if you rebel. You heard me...!" A flash of pain etched across his face. "Ugh... what?" Saeran gripped his head in his hands. A consistent habit when the pain was surging within in.

The white-haired boy grits his teeth and glared at me as if I was at fault.

I just stood there.

He rested his hand against his face, trying to wipe something from his vision. "Don't laugh at me! I'll throw you away. I'm nothing like that woman... I'm not her! It's all your fault I'm thinking of her! This is because you forgot how useless you are and talked to me as if you're smart! You're an airhead! You're a useless, stupid toy!" Saeran reached out and grabbed my shoulders before I could move.

Saeran shook me back and forth like a rag doll and glared down at me. There was a range of emotions that ran across his face for a moment when he saw the way I quivered but it settled onto rage. "I'll kill you. I'll just go ahead and kill you. You can't torment me. I'll be the one to do that! I'll be fine as long as you're in pain. So show me how you writhe in pain! Cry out some more!"

His grip was so tight it was going to leave marks when he let go of me. It stung - it burned. I cried out in protest but that just fueled the fire that he had ignited. What hurts most of all was the fact that he was talking to me but he kept looking somewhere else as if there was someone else in the room with us. Which demon was he envisioning in his mind's eyes? Who did he want to leave him alone?

"Saeran, please, stop this," I begged him.

"That's right. It's painful, isn't it? You should tremble some more! You should be more scared! No one can hurt or torment me. You're my proof. I'm not stupid. I'm not weak. I'm not useless...! I'm smart. I'm strong. No one can look down on me! I...! I can even kill you! That's how strong I am! I can do anything I want to do!" Saeran's voice rose louder and louder as he spoke until he was screaming about his superiority.

My fingers shook against the edge of the fabric of my skirt as I stood there and listened to him.

"Even if I'm gone, you won't be saved," I whispered underneath his hysteria. "You won't feel any better than right now."

"Yes, I will be! Once you're gone, I'll do much better. I'll stand tall, and I'll have no one to fear! I'll protect this place with my power! I'll be recognized! I'll be much happier than I used to be... You need to tremble in pain! Cry in pain! When you're in pain, haha... This place feels so warm." Saeran leaned in closer so I could feel his breath ghosting against my cheek as he spoke up. "It feels like I'm in a warm cozy place. Once I leave this room, it feels so pointless again... I can feel nothing but frustration. I... I... I can stay protected... only when you cry in pain. You have to keep crying in pain. You... you have to be tormented by me. You have to be my toy."

Saeran's voice dropped flat."But if-if you're gone... If you're dead. This empty feeling I get once I leave your room will never stop...!"

It was silent other than the sound of breathing. Neither of us dared move just yet. It was a glimmer of fear that sparked with his crumbling threats. He was saying things and he couldn't keep up with it. Nothing was making sense anymore. He was talking in circles. The pressure was too much for him now. Saeran was crashing. My hand was trembling as I lifted it up and rested it against his cheek. "You're strong, Saeran. You don't have to torture someone to prove that."

Saeran was staring at me wide-eyed but he didn't slap my hand away this time.

He was breathing fast - the air sharp and ridged. "Just who do you think you are? Who do you think you are?! How... How dare you!" His words fizzled into nothing but his heavy and panicked breathing. Something was very wrong with him. Was he losing control once again?

"You... You... huff. You spin my world into chaos! My head... It feels like it'll explode. It hurts... It hurts. Goddammit!"

He bolted out of the room.

* * *

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** There you are. I wonder if you're smiling in victory.

 **Wisteria:**...What do you mean?

 **Rika:** A shame, I thought you would have my answer. Saeran had gone missing. Thanks to that, I had to postpone your ceremony for this evening... All preparation was close to completion.

 **Wisteria:** Huh. Here I thought you had said I couldn't do anything to make a difference.

 **Rika:** Didn't I already tell you your influence on that boy is not the light. I will keep you here for the time being in that room. I need you as bait to get him back.

 **Wisteria:** Are you thinking I've manipulated him? All I ever did was try to help him out of the stupor you put him in.

 **Rika:** Are you saying your innocence worked? I guess it can be useful when the time calls. Let me make you an offer - Rather than being at odds with each other, why don't we help each other?

 **Wisteria:** I'll never manipulate him - Saeran or Ray.

 **Rika** : I know you don't agree with my method of handling Saeran. However. Once you come to realize what this place is like you'll realize that I had no choice. Remember when I told you my love is true love?

 **Wisteria:** You say it's love. All I see is someone manipulating others to get the options she wants. Don't even try to tell me it's not your own selfish whim - you've been hurt so much in your life that you're blind to how much of a monster you've become out of your own pain.

 **Rika:** I'm making decisions for the good of everyone! How dare you! You should try better to understand me! You should want to be just like your big sister. My love is the truest love because no matter what that boy does... I'll never give up on him.

 **Rika:** Lila... I gave Saeran the choice to pick which of my sisters came here first and he chose you - and so your case isn't as such like irregularity doesn't happen to him. No matter what he does

 **Rika: I'll never give up on him.**

 **Wisteria:** It sounds to me that people neglected you and abandoned you in your life, Rika. You became this person so you could never be hurt again, right? Everyone gets hurt when somebody hurts others. More malice isn't the cure to solving your pain! You're forcing this onto Saeran when he never asked you to do this! You've manipulated so many people and this boy!

 **Rika:** I'm not manipulating him! I'm helping him. Here at Mint Eye... There are countless people who were denied by the world and unable to stand on their own. If you bathe people in such unconditional love; they won't be able to cope with such love. Such love is alien to them... That they'll just question themselves.

 **Wisteria:** Is that what happened to you? Is that why you ran away from him?

I'll stand with Saeran and help him however I can. Deep down he deserves and longs for an unconditional love that he rightly deserved at birth.

 **Rika:** Lila. People like you make me saddened. You say without thinking and act blinded by your foolish compassion. I won't overlook your loose mouth much longer.

 **Rika:** Think better about what kind of love Saeran needs. He might have been happy for a moment but at the same time would lose his tool for survival.

 **Wisteria:** You're the one who rendered this place into a heartless and heartbreaking place filled with fake happiness and suffering. Is that truly a paradise?

 **Rika:** True paradise... Is equipping each person with what they need for survival. I'm sure it's different from where you came from.

 **Rika:** Can't you see that the sunray of love you gave him was a threat to his very survival? It's not too late. Think of it... Once you and I join forces we can forge him into the most powerful warrior - a living weapon in a world of our own.

 **Wisteria:** I knew all you saw him for was a tool. You cannot own him Rika. Stop trying to control him!

 **Rika:** He has no faith in himself. How is he supposed to live and rest assured unless I guide him and mold him with my teachings? Are you so sure you don't wish to join me? Don't you forget... If you helped me it would make your life so much more useful as of now.

 **Wisteria:** You're just like him. I won't allow myself to be manipulated again.

 **Rika:** It's no manipulation. I'm only trying to help you. He was trying to help you too. This is for your own good. For everyone's own good. Hm. I'll give you some time to think it over. Inform my believers to locate Saeran and bring back to me.

 **Rika:** My poor little lamb. Where have you lost yourself?

 **Wisteria** : I hope he doesn't suffer anymore.

 **Rika:** I feel no different.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**


	21. Chapter 21

**INTERLUDE IV:** Takes place after Chapter Seventeen.

* * *

"That's right. I should have just thrown her away. I'm not weak. I should get back and get rid of her. I have to do this myself. Then I would never have to look at those stupid eyes again." It had been a few hours since Saeran had seen that girl and he had been wandering the grounds as he thought about everything that he had done so far and what would be the best thing to do next. He had lost track of the time but he knew that people would probably be the look for him soon enough. Let them try, he warned.

He was the strongest.

"Are they looking for me already?" Saeran narrowed his eyes at the small group of believers that were wandering the grounds outside, looking left and right before passing by without noticing him standing there. There was a row of hedge in the way, so it wouldn't matter if they found him or not. He was merely offended that they had come looking for a fight from him.

Saeran stomped his foot indignantly. "How dare they. I'll just eliminate them as soon as they confront me. Go ahead - let's see if you can find me. I'll get rid of everything that crosses my path, and then it will be her turn. Then it would be my family... then the RFA... and then!"

One of them cried out with the wave of a hand. "Looks like someone's over there!"

"Be careful, Mr. Saeran is rather violent. Let the three of us move together." His partner warned.

What a joke, Saeran thought. "...Slowpokes. Come closer, if you dare." Saeran dared them to come walking in his direction. He would make sure that was the last thing they ever dared to do wrong.

"You there! Is that you Mr. Saeran?" The third asked as he leaned over to get a better look at who they were talking with.

"...No. I'm here to tend to the flowers." A voice answered the trio of believers.

Someone else had been outside this whole time and he hadn't noticed? Saeran narrowed his eyes. "Who is that?"

"You mean at this hour? Identify yourself!"

"I'm Believer K709, in charge of looking after the garden. Here's my ID." The man handed over his identification pass to the trio of members. "I check the garden twice a month, during the night time as well... since the savior often takes a walk through this place."

The believers checked over his tag and eyed it with scrutiny for a moment, then relented. It seemed as though this had sufficed for what they wanted out of him. The man merely nodded and handed his ID back. "I see. Good job, man. Keep up the good work."

"Understood." He spoke up once again. Footsteps were the only sound as the trio that was searching for him began to head in the opposite direction of Saeran and this mysterious man. He looked over in Saeran's direction, "You can come out now. It's safe."

It was at that moment that Saeran realized who owned that voice. It was him. It was the man had double-crossed him and his savior so many times before this point. It was V, Jihyun Kim. The hood sank from his head and revealed mint hair. His face bore a worried look, but Saeran knew that was fake compassion. "It's me."

"V...! You dared to sneak in again, you termite. Good. Maybe I should take your head to my savior." Sure, his mind was a million places right now and he wasn't able to think beyond the pain that was radiating throughout his skull but he knew one thing for sure. That V wasn't someone that he could trust, the image of his face was burned into his skull as a traitor. Rika's voice whispered this fact to him over and over. This was the true reality and the fact that V thought he could keep sneaking into this place without getting his just dessert than he needed to learn his lesson finally.

V was staring at him with such a soft expression. It made his stomach twist into knots. This wasn't a real look at all. "Saeran, did you turn into a complete stranger because of... the side effects of those meds?" He asked.

"Who do you think you are to ask that?!" Saeran hissed at him as his emotions began to swell in his mind. He felt awful. This was the fault of V. He was the one making this so bad. "You betrayed my savior, destroyed my family... Don't even think about walking away from here alive. I'm not Ray. I'm not gonna lose you like some loser... ugh."

Saeran clutched his head in his hand. It was a burning ache. This had been building up all day... This was too much for him to handle. It was V's fault. Things would be alright if V had never shown his face. He would have dealt with Lila a long time ago, she would be his already and not on her way to the Savior for a special ceremony, and he wouldn't feel so sick about not being able to take care of her himself. He wouldn't have lost his family- things would be alright if V had never abandoned him in the first place. If he had never hurt his savior and hurt him. If only this man in front of him wasn't as awful as he was. If only there was something that could aleve his pain.

"Saeran...!" V called out with an outstretched hand.

"Don't touch me! I have a gun. I'll kill you... ugh..." Saeran had the strength to lift his head and threaten him. Yes, he could be strong enough to keep someone at bay.

"I know what I don't deserve to see you... I understand that you hate me." V said. He had the gall to take a few steps closer to Saeran and rest a hand against his shoulder.

Saeran pushed him away with the energy he had. He was breathing hard from the pain in his head. This is what he got for not taking his elixir all day. This pain was becoming too much for him to bare anymore. "Huff... Don't touch me. My head... It feels like it'll crack into pieces... It hurts... It hurts!"

V kept talking to him. "Let's escape together. This place will be nothing but a pit of poison for you. I had no idea Rika would turn you into this. Let's get out of here together... with Lila."

He was staring at V as if he had grown a second head. This guy was really full of nothing but lies and fantasies that made no sense. What did he think he was getting at?! The world out there wasn't for anyone like him, that place was a place that only fools belonged. "Are you mad...? You want me to escape? Don't be ridiculous. I... I... If I leave this place... I..."

 _"Everyone out there will only betray and torment you. This is the only place you can ever belong. You will be much happier in this place. Here you are free to show them what you can do. Here you'll be the strong one. Then no one can even dare to betray you. Think about how lonely and painful you were out there..."_

That was right. Here is he is the strong one, right? No one can hurt him. The world outside was a place that was going to hurt him again. He didn't belong out there. "Don't you dare try to trick me! I will never... leave this place. You're a liar. I knew it. Savior was right." Saeran said.

"Do you really find this place happy, Saeran...? Please tell me that's not true. You look nothing like what you wanted to become when you were a child." V stared with unsure feeling.

What did he know? V didn't know anything! He was the one who hurt them. He shook his head to this nonsense. "Don't talk about the past to me... Back then you talked like you would do anything for me, just to betray me! And then you..."

"But Saeran, you were the one who left me."

Lies. That was all lies.

"Liar!" He hissed.

"It was you, Saeran. Think about it. I'm not sure what Rika told you... but I wanted to teach you photograph-" V kept talking and talking and he couldn't take it anymore.

Saeran wasn't going to listen to him. He wasn't going to give him any more of his time. "Stop! Stop it! I'm strong! Now... you cannot fool me! You can't! That's right. I should kill you. I need to kill you now." Saeran was resolute. He could do anything to get rid of the pain, he was strong enough now to do anything that he wanted. He tugged the gun from his coat and aimed at the mint-haired man. His hands were trembling as he did but he kept it straight at V. It would be so easy to just get rid of him now... then, then his pain wouldn't be so bad anymore.

V wasn't running away.

He was still standing.

"...If you kill me, then your way out of this place will be forever shut. You won't ever see your brother." V said.

Saeran' wasn't listening to him. How dare he keep doing these things to him? V needed to just go away forever. "I'll kill you. I'll kill you, and I'll kill him! I'll kill everyone that betrayed me!"

"Saeran... please. Let's please turn back now, before you commit even greater crimes than Rika. It would be now near impossible to change her back when she's turned you like this... but Saeran, please! I beg you... please. Please tell me it's not too late to save you." V was begging him. His voice made him sound like he was ready to drop to his knees and do anything.

"Hah...! You're weak. If you remain the loser you are, it'd be too easy to kill you." Saeran warned. Why was he just standing there? Why wasn't V cowering in fear? Where was the fun in making people pay for causing him pain if they wouldn't show him the right amount of fear?

"You can't kill people, Saeran. You're a tender boy... who loved plants and the sky."

"What are you mumbling about...? That boy is gone. He was too weak to survive. I'm the only one left. I threw away those lame memories along with that useless weakling. I'm completely different now... Now I'm strong! The boy you're looking for is not here anymore. I'm strong enough to kill you. I can show you right now!" Saeran laughed away the pain. He could do this.

"...Have it your way. Saeyoung will hate me, anyway, for making you like this." V was staring at him with no change in his face. Why wasn't he trying to run away?!

"Don't you dare speak that name! Are you not scared of dying?! That scum doesn't care for me... You think I wouldn't know?" Saeran knew the truth about those two men. He hated them for what they did to him. Saeyoung left him and V left him. They were the ones that hurt him. They didn't care about him. Why did V think that he could keep lying until his end?

V shook his head and told him. "You're mistaken about Saeyoung. Saeran, please. Let's escape together. I'll explain everything as soon as we're out of this place."

How dare he act like this. How dare he stare at Saeran with those eyes of pity. He didn't want his pity or care. V needed to just go away forever. "Don't look at me as if you can save me! I'll kill you. I'll pull the trigger right now!" He repeated his threats. He had his finger on the trigger- it wouldn't take much one press to make him go away.

It would take just one move to finish V.

"Let's leave together with Lila. She's also very worried about you right now." V changed his direction and mentioned the girl that he had come to know so far in this place.

V was stepping out of line.

Lila was nothing.

She wasn't anything but a toy that that idiot Ray had lead here. He didn't have to care about her or anything. She was just like V. She didn't deserve to look at him with those eyes of hers. He didn't want or need her pity. She just needed to grovel for him. She needed to be there so he could feel that warmth and be replenished with rage. She was from a world that was unlike his own and she didn't know real pain. If she wasn't here for him to play with any longer than he might... If she wasn't here anymore then he would...

"I don't care what happens to that toy! That airhead doesn't deserve to think about me! That airhead... That loser...! If that idiot escapes...!" Saeran dissolved at the realization that struck his very core. His hand holding the gun falling to his side pathetically as if he had lost the will to destroy the man in front of him with the thought of Lila coming into his mind once again. If she left this place and got back into the outside world... then she would. "If that idiot... leaves this place... She'll be much happier, unlike me."

Pain swirled in his eyes. He clenched them shut. What was he saying? What was he doing right now? Was he really even trying to think about leaving this place? He shook away these thoughts as hard as could and began to run away from V and the believers on the run for him. "Ugh... huff... I will not leave... never... Get lost with her if you want to leave!" He cried.

"Saeran, wait!" V called after him to no avail. Saeran was already gone before he could see which direction he ran into the gardens away from him and this place. "Saeran... I can't fathom the magnitude of your pain. Was it devastating enough to make you forsake yourself like that? Hah... What do I do? I must get him out of here before their father finds out about this place." He stared at his retreating figure with pain in his heart.

* * *

"Lila... the connection." V was surprised that his call had finally gone through to her, maybe Saeran's hold was weakening and he was slacking off because of the torment he was in. That didn't matter, for now, if the line opened back up for now than he was going to run with it and not worry about it. "The thing is, I met Saeran... a while ago."

"How did that go?" She asked him. Her voice was nervous and shaking as spoke with him. Was she that worried for his sake after coming into contact with Saeran? He wondered. Given the way he was acting right now, it made sense.

"I'm not sure about the details but he seemed to be concerned. I thought it would be a good opportunity to persuade him but... It wasn't as easy as I thought. The child I saw in person, quite contrary to watching from afar... it was unimaginably devastating." He whispered. The gardens were still clear for the time being. It wouldn't be very long until another crew came looking for Saeran, however.

"Was he..." She hesitated. "Is he okay?"

"He screamed at me but his eyes were shaking... looking at that... it hurt me even me... that child. However much I tried persuading him, he strongly refused. That rough and violent behavior... He has changed to a completely different person from the Saeran I used to know. How many times he's been hurt... What would make that warm-hearted child change to this state..." He breathed. V didn't understand what went wrong. There was so much that he had done wrong and Saeran was his biggest failure. "Rika and I... what we have done to this child... I was in agony with all those thoughts running through my head. But when I proposed that he should leave with you, he hesitated for the first time. It was a short moment but... I saw hope in that."

There was an uncertainty in his gut. It was a long shot that he had planned, but it was the only thing that he could come up with as of this moment. "Lila, I... plan to bet everything in that hesitation. In order to do so, I need your help desperately."

"I'll do whatever you need me to do," Lila told him. She seemed genuinely concerned for that boy, and there was a good chance that he would be able to get Saeran and her out of this place in one swoop. However, he was relieved to hear her say that she would do what he was planning. This could very well work out.

V was looking around the grounds wondering if they were going to come looking in this area again for the boy. This wouldn't be good. They had some time left before it soured. "...Of course. Saeran needs you. You should hold his hand. Save him from this place. I'll protect the two of you... so that both of you won't fall into the pit of darkness."

"V..." She began to ask him something but there was the sound of someone coming around the corner.

He needed to lay low for just a while longer. "Wait... I hear footsteps nearby. I'll get caught if I make a noise. I must hang up. Please, have your mind clear and be prepared... for you and Saeran's sake."

* * *

Saeran wasn't sure why his hands were moving the way they were.

He was breathing hard and but there was no one around but him anymore. Those believers looking for him had gone elsewhere and V would have to be gone by now for sure.

When he reached the edge of the garden and as far away from that man as he could possibly be, he found himself calling her on his phone. That nonsense That V had placed in front of him was still burning him. He had outright suggested he leave this place, leave everything that he's ever known for the past few years just to go out into the world.

A world that didn't suit him. It was a place that he could never belong. It was a place for those like Lila and people like her. People that weren't broken like he was. What would she think? Would she leave this place if she could? She had a whole world he didn't know to herself she could have been was a girl who always dreamed of those ridiculous fairytale realities. Surely she would think of something as preposterous. Saeran found himself staring at the full moon above him.

"It's me. I called to ask you something. They say the weak tend to dream absurd dreams, like evading reality as reality is close to hell. So I thought you would have dreamed of something like that at least once... If... If it was possible to leave this place... would you leave?" He asked. He was talking without thinking it through completely.

There was no hesitation in her voice. "Definitely," Lila said.

Of course, she would. Saeran knew.

"Yes... You would. You were not suitable here in the first place. You are a different person from me. Let me ask you one more thing. If... If you could get out of here without any danger... who would you go with? You alone? Or with your dear lovey dovey Ray?"

"I said before I would never betray you. I made a promise. I'd leave with you, Saeran."

"With me? Don't you mean with **_him_**? If you're joking, it's not funny. I can't leave here. You know that already. If I leave here, what do you think will happen to me? Do you really think I can live a proper, ordinary life? Someone like me can't enjoy like you, or the RFA... Don't try to make me hope the impossible dream. Anyway, I said what I wanted to say. If you have nothing more to say, I'm hanging up."

Lila's voice was soft on the other end. "Saeran... don't you want to leave this place?"

"I'm... No. It's no use, useless now. Is that all? Anyway, it was fun to listen to your daydreams for once. Forget everything I said. I'm hanging up."


	22. Chapter 22

EIGHTEEN

"Moonlight."

* * *

 **AUTHOR'S NOTE.**

This chapter is an emotional trip and honestly my favorite part of Saeran's route. If you want the full effect you should definitely listen to Four Seasons while reading this chapter, the official song for this route that will really get you going and crying.

* * *

The phone was ringing. It kept chiming for four rings, and I lifted my head from the bed to see the ID. My blurry vision made me unsure, but the image with the name was strangely red. No one that had access looked like that except... I shot out of bed with my eyes wide and my fingers scrambling to answer his call. "Hello? Is this connected? The phone status says it's a green light. Hey, it's me, Seven! Can you please say something if it's you Wisteria!"

"Seven," I breathed. Was he really able to hear me right now or was this another gripping nightmare? "Yes, it's me! I can hear you!"

"There's so much white noise right now, I think it'll be hard to hold the call for long. At least I can hear you somewhat clearly. The hacker stopped attacking a while ago so I tried calling your number and it worked. I mean, this is connected but it's difficult to get anything across in this condition. I... I wanted to say that I'm sorry for making you get whirled up in this because of us; and that I wanted you to cheer up." Seven trailed off, his voice faint on the other end.

The fact that he had been able to pull through the messenger despite the hold Saeran on it reminded me of his strength.

I wasn't alone.

"You, me, and even V. We're full of secrets. Because we're all having a tough time with our own secrets, we don't have the time or leisure to help each other in crisis... There's someone I have to protect right now. That's why... I feel horrible and furious that I can't help. Um, Wisteria, if you're in crisis, It helps if you think this isn't reality when it's bad. It's a method I use often. That I'm only playing a game light game and... That it's okay for things to go wrong."

That wasn't a good coping mechanism but I couldn't find the time to scold him just yet like I wanted. I was just glad to hear him. The RFA wasn't far away from me, I believed in all of them and their combined abilities. It wouldn't be long. I get help Saeran get out of here and I...

I don't know what I was going to do. If I was honest, I was pushing the thought the farthest reach in my mind. The priority was to get out of here safely with Saeran to some place low for a while, and then figure out how to get Rika and our father contained before Mint Eye spread too far.

"..."

"Then sometimes, things turn out good. If I'm living a life full of secrets, would there be any meaning in defining if it's reality or fantasy?" He mumbled through the loud white noise.

If only I had been honest from the start. If I hadn't towed the line like this place was a game. This place was as real as I was. The suffering in this place was just as real as the ache behind my eyes. There was so much that I didn't know... So much that I could have done something about much sooner and yet. I couldn't fall into the abyss. This is what my Father wanted to happen. This was what Rika wanted. If I can't focus on the present then I'm going to fall victim to them all.

It's not okay but I can make better.

"The others- What about the others?" I realized. Everyone in the RFA was going through so much of their own trouble beyond what was happening to just Saeran, V, Mint Eye, and even me. "Seven, what's going on on the outside?"

"After you were forcibly disconnected, the intelligence unit has been trying to restore communication. Desperately. Jaehee is playing a big role, so it seems. Everyone in the RFA is worried. These are only things that I can say. You'll be okay. Don't lose hope."

"Wait, Seven-!"

I wanted him to know so badly the truth. He deserved to know the truth and the uncertainty of the situation made these... these secrets were so hard to keep from one another. It would be too easy for things to sour.

"Oh. I'm losing you again. I should hang up right away since the hacker shouldn't know. We'll meet each other safely soon. Take care until then! You must!"

The static died into silence.

Seven had hung up the phone.

"Saeran is here, he's been here the whole time!" I said, louder than I intended. My hand instinctively covered my mouth and I waited with baited breath for someone to barge into the room but none came. Was there really going to be a chance that could bring these two back together in a good way? I didn't know what the future had in store for any of us. Tomorrow could be the day that we all die or the day that we all escape. There wasn't any chance in knowing what the outcome would be. The light that poured into the room did nothing to lift my spirits. I was... so frustrated. "I'm sorry, Saeyoung."

"I'm so sorry," I whispered.

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran:**...

 **Wisteria:** Saeren, are you alright?

 **Saeran:** No.

I felt so weird

and I threw up for hours.

I could smell nothing

but this disgusting smell

of chemicals.

 **Wisteria:** I'm worried about you. Where have you been?

 **Saeran:** My mind and body

are in ruins...

I had no idea they're this bad.

I wish everything inside would spill completely.

I wish

every particle

of this hellish fate of mine

so deeply rooted

in my bones

would completely leave

my entire body.

 **Wisteria:** You've had a very hard time until now, haven't you?

 **Saeran:** I don't know.

Until now,

I wasn't supposed to even think that I'm having a hard time

If I think like that

that would mean I'm weak.

But

now

all the poison I swallowed to be stronger feels

so disgusting.

I want to throw them all up...

For some reason,

the more I throw up

these disgusting memories

and endless suspicions

fill my head more and more...

 **Wisteria:** Saeran... Can't we start over from the beginning?

Can't you turn anew?

 **Saeran:** Can I really do that?

I would rather be

nothing but an empty shell

incapable of remembering anything

or feeling anything,

My name...

My fate...

My life...

If I can throw up everything

labeled with my name...

If I can escape myself

and turn into an empty shell,

will I be able to step outside into the world out there?

 **Wisteria:** You start over whenever you want. I'll help you.

 **Saeran:** Who do you think you are

to help me?

I've done nothing good for you.

I've only tormented you.

 **Wisteria:** I want to help you be somebody that makes you happy.

 **Saeran:** You're so weird.

The savior...

Everyone here...

They all disgust me.

But

you're different.

I thought I was annoyed and frustrated so far

but actually, that was all because...

I won't touch anything

or listen to anything

or talk to anyone.

Can I just

do nothing

but stare at the world?

 **Wisteria:** Of course you can. If that's what you want... You're free to choose.

 **Saeran:** Free...?

I thought freedom is something you can only find in your dreams.

I...

I don't even dream of freedom. That's too much for me.

If I were capable of listening

or speaking

or thinking...

If I were capable of understanding what

it means to be weak

what it means to be strong

or what it means to be useless...

If I were

completely alone

in this world...

Perhaps

that would be better for me.

 **Wisteria:** There's more to the world than just weak and strong. You just need to come up with new meanings to those words.

 **Saeran:** Do you think

I really deserve

to define them for myself?

If I were rather born

as a ball of weed

that nobody will ever care for

I think that

would have been better.

Even if people stomp on me

and even if I am bent into half

I'll still stand.

I'll survive

and carry on

and watch the sky

and feel the breeze

and see everything.

I want to see

as much as I want,

until the day

I finally die.

 **Wisteria:** If you turn your perspective of the world, even a weed can be a beautiful thing.

They call the red-seeded dandelion a common weed where I'm from, but to me It's a flower that can grant wishes as it comes apart by a gentle breeze. If you change the way you look at something it can become something different.

Something amazing.

 **Saeran:**...

I wish someone would wipe my head clean.

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 _RIKA_

Saeran was gone... Just missing. They couldn't locate him. No one had seen him and there was a slim chance that he had stumbled out of this place because of Lila of all people! Nobody had heard from him for a few hours and it was becoming increasingly obvious that something was amiss in Mint Eye.

She read over the previous log from a conversation the two of them had and it simply infuriated her. Rika kept her composure, for the most part, she let a small breath of air and readjusted herself.

"She's running out of opportunities by continuing to try and undermine me," Rika hissed. "If she thought she was on thin ice before... One more, one more is all I'm going to give her."

Yes. One more. Her youngest sister deserved one last strand of thread. If she chooses to cut it herself then so be it; Her darkness would envelop her whether she liked it or not.

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** Oh no.

Saeran actually wrote that he,

wants to leave this place.

 **Wisteria:** He's not bound to your drugs anymore. He's fighting them. He can think for himself.

 **Rika:** Now there's no mistake that the elixir isn't perfect.

This means,

He wants to directly violate Mint Eyes' most important rule.

Just what on Earth

happened to him?

 **Wisteria:** He's opening his eyes to the truth, Rika. Your hold on him is weakening.

 **Rika:** Lila, you spoke something outrageously unappreciated

into his ears again.

No...

No.

That won't be enough to change him.

I wanted to watch over you more tightly.

But it turns out

your room is strictly off-limits to the other believers.

I tried to watch you through the camera he installed,

but apparently, the camera was encrypted with a password

so no one can access.

 **Wisteria:** ... I see.

 **Rika:** Why didn't he make them accessible to everyone else?

It appears his possessiveness over his toy

was stronger than I thought.

He actually encrypted the camera.

I should have noticed sooner

how he's exhibiting strange behaviors.

This is partially my fault. I trusted him too much.

Anyhow, from now on,

my believers will intermittently and randomly visit your room.

Since Saeran might come to see you.

 **Wisteria:** You're going to try and capture him by force, aren't you?

 **Rika:** That's right.

If you see Saeran

make sure you notify the believers.

If you do, I'll acknowledge your feat and cancel your cleansing ceremony.

You'll have your freedom back.

How about it?

Doesn't it sound attractive enough?

 **Wisteria:** I can't do that. I won't do that.

No.

That's not what's best for him.

 **Rika:** I know the best what he wants.

But if you hide Saeran

or say anything foolish to him,

you'll get to see Saeran suffer.

Suffering the most dreadful agony you can imagine.

And once he's cleansed after his agony

he'll return all that pain he suffered

to you.

 **Wisteria:** You seem to be used to exploiting other's pain, Rika. Why is that?

 **Rika:** Pain is directly related to the remedy soon to come.

So pain is equivalent to remedy.

And at this paradise

there is a circle forever spinning

with as much remedy as much as needed

as well as agony as much as needed.

You will soon get to witness such a holy wonder.

 **Wisteria:** I hope he wouldn't suffer anymore.

 **Rika:** You'll end up suffering

as much as you struggle.

One day,

you should give up and let the circle take you over.

You'd be shocked once you realized how sweet the remedy after agony is.

I look forward to your role until he's back.

Lila, you should choose my side before it's too late.

The darkness will always trample the light.

Now excuse me.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**

She tossed the phone to the side with an annoyed hiss.

This was all wrong. Her plans were beginning to crumble. Things were souring and she had to get Saeran back underneath her. He would listen when she reminded him of his path. His place. He knew his way in life. Unlike that girl!

How dare she? How dare Lila not listen? How dare she!

"...I must not leave Saeran astray any longer. Now, this is beyond dangerous. This is all because of her. Once this is wrapped up, I should eradicate her so deeply she is a blank slate. How dare she play puppets with us, with my key believer as a bait? How dare that weed from a greenhouse...! Have a good night's rest. Tonight will be the last time you ever get to sleep comfortably."

* * *

"...Lila."

The sound of my name was like a ghost in the wind. I almost didn't believe that it was real but there was a shadowed figure in the window just behind where the light was. Moonlight poured into the room from the window. It was a silent night. There wasn't any sound in the room beside the gentle sounds of breathing coming from either of us. The last thing that crossed my mind was the thought that I hadn't been able to sleep in hours because of everything that had been happening to Saeran. I must have dozed off without even noticing it.

My reflex was to sit up and try to figure out who it was. I narrowed my eyes in the dark until the figure made some kind of form in the darkness. It wasn't one of the believers this time. It was him. I whispered out, unsure and wary. "Saeran...?"

"You recognized me right away. You weren't waiting for me, were you? No need to get out of bed." Saeran came from the darkness and into the light. The moon illuminated his face and made it clear it was him and no one else. This was the first time either of us had seen each other since his charged interaction and confusion. I wasn't sure if I needed to be on guard or not. If he noticed the shift in my posture, he didn't make it clear. Saeran just stood there a good few feet away with his eyes on me. "Relax, I'm not here to torture you... I will no longer torture you."

What had happened since the last time? There wasn't this overarching feeling of frustration and anger within his face anymore. It was almost... pained. This was different than the Saeran I had last seen. For the first time in what seemed like days, my body wasn't screaming at me when my feet made contact with the ground. The only noise was my footsteps against the ground now. Saeran was surprised that I was standing in front of him now; He took a step back from me but didn't go any further.

So there we stood, together in the light of the moon.

Neither of us dared to make a sound, a movement, it was just us now.

"Even now, you still try to seek me out despite what I've done to you." was the first thing that he dared to say. He looked like he had been run ragged over the last few hours. There was a tiredness in his eyes that had spilled out and as he stood there he looked like he wasn't entirely here. He had run into V first and then everyone in this place was after him. It was a lot of deal with.

"What... What happened to you?" was what I could manage.

"Lots of things happened. Lila, you never gave up on me no matter how much I tortured you. You didn't let my torment and your wounds crush you. I cursed you dozens of times that your eyes were disgusting. Because you looked like you know a world completely different from mine. When I kept looking into your face, it felt like I was losing. I wanted to get closer to you, but I also wanted to avoid you. I wanted to know you better, but at the same time, I wanted to neglect you. Ever after I tormented you... It didn't feel like I beat you."

"That's why I felt empty. I felt so empty... So in the end, I got angrier and I wanted to torment you even more. You're gentle, but you never fall down. You rebel, but you don't return your pain onto me. You avoided me, but you never gave up on me completely... Even now you don't give up on me. My darkness is melting away, but you remain the way you are. How can you stay the same?"

He knew nothing but the world that Rika had twisted for him.

There was so much that he had gone through and so much that he still had to fight through to find himself again. I couldn't even imagine the length of trauma that he had gone through at this place only seeing a short amount of it firsthand. He was struggling with so much pain and so much frustration because of what had happened. He didn't know anything but the way that he had. He could only be one of two ways. He could block out all the pain by only fueling anger or he could hide behind a gentle face and naivety. They were two halves of a whole that had been forced into pieces because of the torment.

It was all starting to come together. I couldn't turn away from him despite the pain. "I thought you were forcing your anger on me because of the wounds from your past."

He looked to the ground. "You understood me. I didn't expect you to do so. I should thank you, shouldn't I? Thank you... for understanding me. About those things, I said to you, that you're weak and useless. They're not true at all. But you already know that, don't you? I'm the one who is really useless. I said all those cruel things to you because I didn't want you to realize that I'm useless."

"You're not useless, Saeran!" I told him firmly. My voice was the only thing that echoed in that room. It was so fueled with feeling that I almost couldn't believe that it was coming out of me. He was hurting in front of me this whole time. He had come to realize that this place was bad after all this time. He had done this one his own without any help from myself or V. My body acted on its own without thinking and Saeran stiffened in my grasp. We haven't been this close since... I hadn't been this close to him of my own will since Ray was here. "You found the truth on your own without anyone's help! All this time, you... I wasn't ever sure how much you doubted yourself but I'm so sorry that you're thought that less of yourself. I never believed you weren't capable of doing the right thing despite all your pain. You've gone through so much but you're still standing here despite all of that pain! You're much more important then you think, much braver than you thought of yourself before!"

Something wet stained my cheeks.

I knew it was the familiar burning of hot tears.

Saeran didn't move for the longest time. Then, all of a sudden his hand rested against the back of my head. "You're much too kind to someone like me. You've said that once before, haven't you? It never made it's way to me despite how hard you tried to reason with me... My actions were different from Ray's, but the results were the same. What I said wasn't meant for you, it was intended for me. I was telling myself... Now I get it. No matter how much you tried to guide me to the right path, your words couldn't reach me. Even now... It's so difficult to accept myself the way I am. I'm ruined beyond hope. It's impossible for me to throw away my hatred against the world and start all over again in this little hell."

It was a cruel realization that he had found. I lifted my head just enough to catch sight of his eyes. He was resolute underneath his aching. There was something he was considering and he wasn't sure how to say it. "But... Maybe it is possible for Ray. He may be a chicken but he doesn't know how to hate. Even if he was betrayed by his brother, his parents, and his trusted guardian V. Even now, he's speaking inside of me... that maybe... just maybe... If what V said is true, he might meet again with his brother and stay together just like they used to... And he's saying..."

My lips parted but no words would come out.

"That if he begs for your forgiveness... and by any chance, you forgive him, that he'll make you happy as best he can. He's a scaredy-cat, of course, so he's worried to death that his hope might turn out to be no use... but his hope will never die. He's praying in the corner of my heart that everything will work out well and that he'll be happy."

Saeran looked out of the window at the clear night. "I... I know nothing but anger. I get angry because I'm scared my hope will turn into despair. But as for Ray, no matter how many times he's betrayed and hurt and tortured, he'll keep hoping like a little weed."

"Can't you both... be one?" It was a whisper.

A fickle question that I didn't know the answer.

"We already are one. It's just that my voice is stronger right now. You miss Ray, don't you? He was named Ray in that hopes... that there will be no meaning to his name. But you look a little sad every time I say that name. But Ray and I... are in this body. The monster that had to torture you to hide how pathetic he's become is me... and the persistent idiot that doesn't lose hope no matter how much he's tormented is also me... and it... it seems..."

"It looks like you need Ray more than me."

"If both of them are you..." I trailed.

We shared a look.

It was of uncertainty.

I let him go and Saeran looked away. He took two steps away at first, and then he began to make his way back to the door. "Once I become good enough to keep you unharmed... we'll naturally become completely one. I must go now... Ray will make you happy. I... need to go. Goodbye," When he reached the door and began to twist the knob open I cried after him.

"Saeran, wait!"

He stood by the door there as my hand was outstretched towards him. He was going to leave again. His hand was there on the doorknob. He didn't dare turn and face me. He just waited there for a moment in the darkness. Saeran let out a very weak noise that was hardly noticeable. It was a strained sigh. As if he were fighting with something inside of him again.

"I didn't want to tell you... that I'm sorry. But I am sorry. I'm sorry for hurting you. I hope you... you and Ray both... will be happy."

* * *

It was the middle of the night when something strange happened with my phone.

For the longest time after Saeran left me inside of this place by myself... I had been unable to pull myself away from the window pane. The moonlight outside was as strong as ever and there weren't any clouds in the sky. The only thing that you see was the universe above us going on as it always had. The Earth was still spinning and nothing had come to an end. Things were starting to... change course. Saeran had realized that Rika was using him. He knew this place was bad for him. This wasn't something I had ever expected. The only thing that my body would allow me to do was cry.

Was I happy?

Was I scared?

Was I sad?

I wasn't sure what this feeling was inside of me.

What was stranger was that my phone began to chime on the other side of the room? There were only two people that had the ability to access me as of now and it could have only been one of them, right? That meant there was a chatroom open. Was it Rika? Was it Saeran? I went to check it and was left with my mouth agape and eyes wide.

"He... He returned my access to the RFA?" I stared at the option to open the line. With trembling fingers, I logged into the familiar interface with that strange feeling morphing into joy.

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** It's online again?

Oh, my God.

I can't

Is this...

I can't believe it

Jaehee, is that you?

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're back, aren't you?

Thank goodness!

The unit has been trying to figure out why you were gone!

It was to no avail...

but you came back on your own!

I should thank the heavens for this!

I should tell Mr. Han about...

 **Wisteria** : I'm so happy to see you again, Jaehee!

You wouldn't believe how happy I am to see your friendly face.

Jaehee, what's happened so far?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Luciel remains silent when he's not helping us behind the scenes

The unit has been trying to figure out why you were gone

but gained nothing in the result and...

I can't reach Mr. Han right now.

SIGH EMOJI

He's gone for an interview.

 **Wisteria: ...** Don't tell me that the prosecution's investigation isn't over?

 **Jaehee Kang:** No.

It's not over, unfortunately.

Wisteria, what happened?

Why did you suddenly lose access?

Your profile was gone.

That means the hacker is behind this one, isn't he?

 **Wisteria:** I can't tell you what happened just yet... I am alright. I think things are going to be getting better from this point.

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're hiding something.

But I'm glad you are alright.

You are... safe?

Right, Wisteria?

 **Wisteria:** I'm alright. I promise.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Oh. That's good news.

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria!

You're back!

 **Wisteria:** Zen! Is everyone else alright?

 **ZEN:** I and Yoosung are the only ones that you could call alright.

Man

You're really back, aren't you?

 **Jaehee Kang:** She really is.

 **ZEN:** Oh

I see Wisteria isn't the only one here!

Wisteria

just what on Earth happened?

 **Wisteria:** I can't tell you just yet. Please give me some time.

 **ZEN:** Can't you tell us after some time?

Are you okay?

 **Wisteria:** Thanks for asking, but Jaehee already did.

 **ZEN:** Oh, she did.

Sorry for asking again. ^^''

CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** That's okay. You were all worried.

 **ZEN:** I'm glad you're back at least.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han isn't.

 **ZEN:** The interview is taking so long.

 **Jaehee Kang:** It is...

 **ZEN:** Once Seven's absence is over

and Jumin's interview

and V's loss of connection

are solved

 **Jaehee Kang:** Then everything will be at peace.

 **ZEN:** MOPING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** V is... probably busy.

 **ZEN** : You must know something about this.

 **Jaehee Kang:** With everything going on at the moment...

I'm so glad that V decided to put a hold on the party.

And in the meantime,

I'm so glad

that at least you and Yoosung seem peaceful, Zen.

 **ZEN:** Yes, if you look at the bright side.

 **Wisteria:** You've done very well, Jaehee.

 **ZEN:** She's right.

You could barely sleep because of the intelligence unit...

 **Jaehee Kang:** No, my distress is nothing compared to what other people are going through.

 **ZEN:** You are extraordinary. You really are.

Oh

I gotta tell

the rest of the RFA

that Wisteria is back!

 **Jaehee Kang:** Allow me to join you.

 **ZEN:** Wisteria

I'm so glad you're back.

I'll show you my selfie

for a change of atmosphere,

in this time of darkness.

 **Jaehee Kang:** You actually have a selfie...?

 **Wisteria:** Sure, why not.

 **ZEN** : If you ask,

how can I possibly deny?

(Image)

 **Jaehee Kang:** ...I am at a loss for your beauty.

 **Wisteria:** I'm so glad I'm back. ;-;

 **ZEN:** Same.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

Save

 **ZEN:** I was on the rooftop to take a selfie

 **Jaehee Kang:** HAPPY EMOJI

 **ZEN:** but then my hair got untied because of the wind

so I took the opportunity lmao

 **Jaehee Kang:** It's a beautiful picture that chases my woes away,

That's all I have to say.

 **ZEN:** HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** I think I've seen someone who shines brighter... Actually.

 **ZEN:** SHOCKED EMOJI

What?

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's not possible.

 **ZEN:** If there really is somebody like that

Can you bring him to me? T_T

That way I think I can live an easier life.

It's so good to talk about trivial life with you lmao

We were all so worried that

the hacker might have done something to you.

 **Jaehee Kang:** We were.

 **ZEN:** CRYING EMOJI

 **Jaehee Kang** : It was even more frustrating since the intelligence unit's progress was not fast enough.

 **Wisteria:** I had a close call. I have to be strong now as well.

 **ZEN** : T_T

Being strong isn't bad.

But I hope that you do within our protection.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I was sincerely worried about you.

 **ZEN:** In usual circumstances

Seven would've defended the messenger

and that wouldn't have happened...

Jaehee

Have you heard anything about him?

 **Jaehee Kang:** He hasn't made any direct contact, but he's helping the unit from the sidelines.

 **Wisteria:** I'm sure he's got complicated stories behind it. Let's understand him.

 **ZEN:** You should like you know what those stories are.

Man,

seriously,

Is he sick or something?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Since we can't reach him, there's nothing we know about him.

 **ZEN:** I'm worried

that he might go off the grid or something.

CRYING EMOJI

 **Jaehee Kang:** ...

I should try to call him one more time.

I must tell him that you're back, Wisteria.

 **Wisteria:** Yes, please do. I wish I could talk to him again as well. All bright and cheery.

 **ZEN:** Yep.

But it looks like he doesn't even pick up his phone...

You should make note of it.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Most of all,

Welcome back, Wisteria.

Oh,

and your selfie is the best, Zen.

SPARKLE EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Bye, Jaehee.

Jaehee Kang: Please excuse me.

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria...

I'm so glad that you're back safe.

Me, Yoosung...

all of us were worried.

CRYING EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** I'm happy to be back. I'm relieved that the worst trouble isn't as bad as I thought.

 **ZEN** : I think we're already going through the huge trouble.

 **Wisteria:** How have your rehearsals been going?

 **ZEN:** I've been working on it whenever I could.

Since I have to make up for the one that I missed.

But to me,

your return is more important!

HAPPY EMOJI

First,

I gotta go and talk to Yoosung,

I gotta tell him you're back.

Are you sure you're really safe?

 **Wisteria:**...I'll tell you everything soon. Please take care.

 **ZEN:** Is there something I don't know about this?

If you say so,

I'll be waiting...

But you have to stay safe!

Promise me!

 **Wisteria** : Promise!

 **ZEN:** Gotcha. ^^

So, I'll talk to you again.

Have a good rest.

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 _SEVEN_

"Yeah. Her logs are back online, V. Are you sure that she's safe? Haaa... Okay, I believe you. So could you tell the rest of the RFA that she's safe? Everyone was so worried about her. Though, I should be worrying about myself." Seven sighed. He lifted from his chair and stretched his legs out.

If Wisteria was alright then that was one less thing to concern himself about. There was a bigger issue at hand that he needed to tend to... Before it became too late for him to fix. There was someone out there who needed him to get this done.

"V, I used those files you gave me to complete my investigation... I feel I've dug up every corner of the web of this planet. I had to put off the messenger security because of that, but now I feel like all of the pieces of the puzzle are in my hands. The secret about me and Saeran is just the beginning. This guy has been breaking laws in every possible way throughout his life. I had no idea it would be this bad... and people around him wrapped up what he did so meticulously to use them for his political benefits... Which means they are all in this together." He concluded.

"How could they make a man like him look so moral and noble? He's terrifically smart, in a bad way, unfortunately. Once these files are unleashed... the entire world will know what he is really like. If these files manage to reach the public, safely, that is. Once the investigation is over, everyone related to his illegal activities will be summoned. Then the entire nation will be in an uproar and giant companies like C&R can't avoid investigation. To be honest, I have no idea how this scandal will end, V. It would only be a matter of time for such a powerful authority to find me."

He could go underground. He wasn't afraid of that. It would pass and he could go on in due time. His only concern was for Saeran's safety, where ever he was out there in the world. He needed to be protected. Saeran didn't deserve to be dragged out of his safe place, he was probably much better off.

"So like I said, I think this is time for me to..."

The doorbell rang and echoed throughout the building. He glanced behind him and looked at the clock on the wall. It was late but around the time that Vanderwood should have been dropping by.

"Oh, Vanderwood must be back. He's been using the doorbell once he learned there was one. Let's talk again soon, V. Yeah, the agency will make a new alias for me only when I do a good job as an agent. So, I might have to work undercover for a while. Sure. Watch yourself, I'll call again."

He shoved his phone into his pocket. "It's exactly about time he said he would be back. Now, I should stop pretending and joking and get back to work for real."

He unlocked the door and Vanderwood entered the room. They were strangely quiet, which was uncharacteristic of him. This was a strange sign. He greeted them nevertheless with a usual, "Welcome back, Madam."

"..." The line in their brows was thicker than usual.

"What's wrong? Why are you keeping your mouth shut? Huh, oh that sign must be..." That feeling in his gut was growing.

"I told you not to do anything stupid!" A voice called from behind and Vanderwood was knocked to the ground. "Ugh."

Seven was strangely thinking that this was a strange and cruel joke. Vanderwood couldn't have possibly ever wanted to throw a big joke. "Madam, could you please tell me this a prank?"

"Don't move! Or else we'll shoot!"

Seven cursed his own second-guessing of not keeping a firearm nearby for a scenario like this. That was his mistake. Who had he angered this badly? "...I should've stayed armed. Who are you? Where are you all from?"

"Take them both away!"


	23. Chapter 23

**AUTHOR'S NOTE.**

 **The story has gone through some heavy edits and changes since the last update. There's going to be some things that are different and somethings that are the same - the plus is the new content that you'll discover if you go back and reread the story from the get-go. I have a feeling things will be a lot clearer and make more sense now that I've gone back and really fixed my trouble areas.**

* * *

NINETEEN

"Friends."

* * *

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** I got a text from V - It says that Wisteria is safe, so there's no need to worry... Looks like he made this one a group text... I'm glad he's done what a representative should have done for once lol I'm guessing that Seven worked so hard behind the scenes to find Wisteria... didn't he?

 **Yoosung:** We lost contact with Seven so far because he was busy looking for Wisteria... and V didn't log in because he was trying to keep that a secret... Right? CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** I think Zen and Jumin was called for interviews in relation to Seven... But I'm going to believe that this isn't something bad. I mean Seven isn't the type to do something b... umm...

 **Yoosung:** Maybe. Just maybe... he did something an itty bitty wrong but I'm sure there's no way he can't save himself. lol... MOPING EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** But am I the only one who's worried that sooner or later

 **707 has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Seven might leave us all? SHOCKED EMOJI Huh? Seven! It's been a while. Did you get the hacker? It's all thanks to you that Wisteria is safe, right?

 **707:** uppsung

 **Yoosung:** typos lolol Are you having a hard time adapting after so long? lolol

 **707:** v

v

v

V

V

V

V

V

V

V

 **Yoosung:** Seven?

 **707:** v

v

 **Yoosung:** Are you hogging?

 **707 has left the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Huh? Were those typos? Or hogging? Or was he kidding? Or not? You're looking for V, right?

 **Yoosung:** Did something happen? I should make a call right now.

 **Yoosung has left the chatroom.**

* * *

Saeran left before I could stop him from leaving. Nobody seemed to be around when he left so I hoped he had gotten somewhere safe.

I wasn't sure where he was going but I hoped he would stay out of Rika's eye just a little longer. I drooped into a fast sleep from the emotional exhaustion only to awake the a missed chatroom in the early morning hours.

The sun had not yet risen but it soon would but I decided to cut my rest short - I wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully any longer in this place. Reading over the log that I had missed made my head spin. Something had happened while I was here. The only feeling in my stomach was dread.

The fear that something was very wrong and the helpless feeling that came after it in its place. Seven wasn't okay. Something was wrong - their Father was after the both of them, and from what I could base from my knowledge... This man would do anything to keep his image clean. Even if that meant he had to remove Saeyoung and Saeran.

Could he had gotten Seven? That man was one of many options. His career made him a target for numerous villains. I wasn't sure if that was the case. Another thing that was very concerning was who he kept looking for.

V...

V.

He had been asking for V.

Why?

What could V have been able to do if Seven was... Saeran. He was going to probably beg him to protect Saeran because somebody had gotten to him and he wanted to keep his little brother safe. He was out there somewhere now - someplace unsafe. It would only be a matter of time until somebody figured out that Saeran was here.

The what ifs began to haunt me.

If only...

If I had been able to tell him about his brother maybe he wouldn't be gone now. If only V and I could have gotten Saeran to safety sooner. If only this hadn't gotten so bad. If only I had done something sooner. If only I could have done something. There was so much I could have done but I just didn't - this kind of guilt was what I felt always.

I knew my therapist would be onto me if she could hear me thinking like this - there was no point to letting these things swell.

What mattered now was that Saeran was on my side.

Right. Saeran was listening to reason. There was only a matter of time until he got out of this place. I wanted desperately for him to go before it was too late. His words still haunted me. He was willing to stop being - to stop existing - so that Ray could have control over his body. That was incredibly brave of him, I wanted to say. But I couldn't bring my thoughts to make sense.

With my access granted back into the messenger - I opened up the application and reviewed it. There was everyone - all of the members of the RFA were back in my contacts - the sight still filling me with some kind of relief I couldn't explain.

All of them were back.

But one was now missing in action.

i noticed Zen was online and entered the chatroom.

* * *

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria. I got a call from Yoosung... Did you see the message from Seven from before?

 **Wisteria:** I have a sinking feeling. Something must be very wrong with him. He usually answers.

 **ZEN:** Though this is just my theory. I got the feeling something big is going on here, and Jumin isn't back either. MOPING EMOJI

 **ZEN:** When I was having interrogations what they wanted to know was definitely about Seven. Don't you think that is what's behind all this?

 **Wisteria:** I can't say for sure. He kept asking for V over and over - that didn't seem like something he would do as a joke.

 **ZEN:** I doubt he could fire messages at us in such a rush if the public power is now a part of this. We've known him for like years now, but We still don't know what exactly his occupation is... And that makes me feel weird.

 **Wisteria:** It must be... more perilous then he lead on to everyone, you know.

 **ZEN:** I thought he was joking or exaggerating, of course, when he said he's an agent of darkness or that he almost got killed during a mission or that he never knows when he'll die... But don't tell me...

 **ZEN:** Was he actually being serious?

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** V!

 **Wisteria:** V! You're back! Have you heard from Seven, V?

 **V:** Wisteria, it is my greatest joy and relief that you're safe here. I'm glad to see you again. I've come to see things for myself - it seems as though I've missed more than I thought.

 **ZEN:** Wisteria's safety was last night's news. Our latest news is endless typing... from Seven.

 **Wisteria:** Please tell everyone if you could reach him.

 **V:** I couldn't. I tried numerous times but he wouldn't pick up.

 **ZEN:** SHOCKED EMOJI What?

 **V:** He won't pick up.

 **Wisteria:** You should head to his place asap!

 **V:** I'm on my way.

 **ZEN:** You know where he lives?

 **V:** Yes.

 **ZEN:** Where is it? I'm coming with you!

 **V:** No. No one else can come.

 **ZEN:** Another secret at a time like this?!

 **Wisteria:** Is it that bad this time? Do you think he's really in trouble with that man?

 **V:**...

 **ZEN:** Just why would you hide where he lives?

 **V:** Because Luciel is... dangerous.

 **ZEN:** What? Hey I'm not sure what's going on but I do know something serious is going on here. But this situation... Just what in the world did that silly prankster do? We've known him for years... Just what did he do to bring the prosecution service into this? I think we have a right to know.

 **Wisteria:** I know this is difficult, V. But we need to think about everyone. Can't you trust that the RFA is strong enough to embrace Seven wholeheartedly? Everyone here is like a family, it will be alright in the end!

 **Wisteria:** Everybody has each other's backs. No matter what happens. They will understand. I promise.

 **V:**...

 **ZEN:** That's right. You can count on us! V answer me. Why is he dangerous? Just what is his job?

 **V:** His job cannot be defined in a sentence or two. But I know that he must do everything in his power to hide.

 **ZEN:** Hide himself? What's that supposed to mean?

 **Wisteria:** There's a... Seven has a good reason for that, Zen.

 **ZEN:** Looks like you know why. Can't you tell the rest of us too?

 **V:** I... can't tell you... It's for everyone's sake.

 **ZEN:** Hey... Why does he need to live in hiding? He has a I don't know his address. And...

 **Wisteria:** V, you're the only person who can explain all of Seven's secrets to the fullest. Everyone will listen to you. You're the only person who can move everyone to save him! You're the leader, V, everyone needs you - You can't do this alone anymore. Not any longer. It will be okay if they know.

 **V:** Wisteria... Will I ever be able to believe in that?

 **Wisteria:** Please have faith in yourself! You can!

 **ZEN:** She's right. Trust us and start explaining. Seven's in trouble and we know nothing about him. We don't even know what his occupation is... We know nothing about his family... or hometown... or school... or friends...

 **V:**...

 **ZEN:** He rarely picks up when we call him... Instead, we would get to hear this strange comment that the call's being bugged...

 **Wisteria:** There's no time to think this is a joke given the severity of the situation. This threat is too real. Everyone needs to come together for him.

 **ZEN:** That's right. After all, he's one of us! V, I'm so nervous right now... Say something... Anything!

 **Wisteria:** Seven has had a tragic story... but he's not a bad guy.

 **ZEN:** And what is that story? Wisteria, V I don't care what it is! Just tell me what you know! First, we couldn't reach Wisteria and now we can't reach Seven...? How long is this cycle going to take?

 **V:** This is all my fault.

 **ZEN:** Stop saying that!

A heavy groan left my lips.

Loathing. He was self-loathing. He was bathing in the what ifs as I had but what good was that doing any of us?

None.

V was trying to hold this little family together with everything that he had. But his hope that nobody would ever know the truth was wrong. He couldn't hide this forever because Seven needed our help. There was no way he was going to be able to escape whatever had happened.

Not with a relentless Father that wanted to destroy him - destroy him and his little brother. Saeran was in just as much danger. They would be trying to locate him next - he wouldn't be safe. He wasn't safe as it was.

Something needed to happened.

V needs to be honest.

 **Wisteria:** V... Saeran is changing right now. He found himself and he's getting better! You have the ability to change too. You just need to make the first step! You need to face your fears. We're here for you.

 **ZEN:** Saeran? Whose that?

 **Wisteria:** I can't tell you yet. I'm sorry, Zen.

 **ZEN:** Man... seriously. I feel like I'm the only one left in the dark. V, At least... You should tell me what you know, seriously, I gotta know! Is Seven in some kind of danger?!

 **V:** Hyun... I'm afraid I cannot tell you everything.

 **Wisteria:** Seven's life could be in danger right now.

 **V:** I am worried about that as well.

 **V:** And I believe same could be said of the rest of the RFA.

 **ZEN:** Then start talking. Why not? Just why can't you tell us?

 **V:** Because if I do there could be a crisis...

 **ZEN:** SHOCKED EMOJI Crisis? You mean something like the interrogation I've gone through?

 **V:** Yes.

 **Wisteria:** If you keep everything to yourself and try to do this alone, it's going to grow more dangerous. I told you before. You are not alone.

 **ZEN:** Man just how dangerous is this? Right now my hands are shaking. Even if that secret happens to be dangerous... He's still one of us.

 **V:** You're right.

 **ZEN:** Then we should get on it right now! What should we do? You're not going to leave him unreachable, are you?

 **V:** I'm thinking.

 **ZEN:** I can only help you when I know what's going on... but since you can't tell me this is so frustrating. V... You do realize you're being so frustrating, don't you? You know something that put the rest of us in danger.

 **Wisteria:** Zen, you're very understanding. I'm sure the rest of the RFA will trust V.

 **ZEN:**... She's right. As frustrating as you are, we'll trust you no matter what. So you'd better get a grip on yourself now.

 **V: ...** I appreciate you for saying that. Everything has come to this because of my choice. It is all the consequence of my choices that Luciel is now living a life which does not allow him an alias and that I cannot tell you all what you want to know about Rika's departure.

 **ZEN:** So you're saying this is all your fault.

 **V:** Yes.

 **Wisteria:** You can't tell the future, V. Not all of this is your fault, okay?

 **ZEN:** She's right. Hey, stop saying that. Don't think that this world rotates around you and that you're responsible for everything. You are not God. You cannot control people as you like.

 **V:**...

 **ZEN:** We get to decide what kind of life we live. Seven wanted to live without an alias and Rika wanted to leave us. All of this wasn't in your power to control.

 **Wisteria:** I just want to know why you keep thinking that everything is all your fault.

 **V:** Wisteria...

 **ZEN:** Yeah. I want to know too.

 **V:** I... I thought that this all happened because I couldn't love Rika enough or in the right way

 **ZEN:** V... Just what is your definition of 'right way of love'? You're not her parents. The only person in this world who can ever love Rika enough! and correctly! is Rika herself.

 **V:**...

 **V:** Is it...?

 **Wisteria:** Love isn't uniform. It comes in all types of shapes and forms. But being able to realize and provide what someone needs is just about as easy as dreaming of it.

 **ZEN:** She hit the nail on the head.

 **ZEN:** To give a personal example, I wanted my parents to love how I look and give full support in my talent in acting or something like that. But that didn't happen. I'm the only one who knows the best what kind of love I want. It's near impossible to ask someone to figure that out and love me just as much... That's why... The only person who can love me in the most perfect way is me.

 **ZEN:** Since I know myself best. That's why I ran away from home. It made me kind of lonely, alright. But by choosing to be lonely, I chose to be an adult. And choosing to be lonely was the only way to make my dream come true. That's what I thought.

 **Wisteria:** It looks like you always remember how to make yourself happy. That's a good trait.

 **ZEN:** Yup. Working hard for my dreams -

 **ZEN:** that's what provides me the greatest happiness in life... uh it's going to get complicated if I get into more info - so let's put my story aside. So what I'm saying is even if there was a certain kind of love that Rika asked or even wanted from you, V... You don't have to feel guilty or blame yourself because you couldn't give that love in the most perfect way, just the way that Rika wanted.

 **ZEN:** If you love someone then you two would have to work things out together for each other.

 **V:** Thank you, Hyun.

 **ZEN:** Don't mention it.

 **Wisteria:** V... please be the faithful leader I know you can be.

 **V:** I'll mark your encouragement deep in my heart.

 **ZEN:** Yes. That's more like it! HAPPY EMOJI

 **ZEN:** Anyways, back to our discussion on Seven. What should we do?

 **V:** I'll call you after I give it more thought.

 **ZEN:** I'll do anything that I can. Just let me know what I can do. I believe your decision will never harm us.

 **V:** Hyun...

 **Wisteria:** You just have to have faith in your friends, see?

 **ZEN:** I'll be recharging myself until you call me. I gotta be ready when you need me.

 **V:** Sure.

 **Wisteria:** Thanks for that, Zen. You've stayed up rather late. You should try to rest now.

 **ZEN:** Wisteria, you're doing just as much at this hour. I hope all of us can meet for real and enjoy in the future.

 **V:** I'll do my best to make that happen. As for tonight, Thank you, for talking to me.

 **ZEN:** Who would have thought my story would actually help you? lmao I'll get going now.

 **V:** Sure... Wait a minute.

 **ZEN:** CONFUSED EMOJI Yeah?

 **V:** I... I sincerely wish Luciel will be back. And I would like to protect everyone too.

 **Wisteria:** You should talk to Jumin. He's your best friend. He'll know better than anyone else.

 **ZEN:** Yeah. I don't really like him but why don't you talk to the CEO-in-line? Your genius friend who would never spill secrets once you pour them onto him. Though I'm not sure when he'll be back. The thing is, I'm too honest. so if I'm aware of a secret I might blurt it out without realizing it.

 **V:** Got it...

 **ZEN:** Cheer up, V. And Wisteria, you stay safe. Once again, welcome back! HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** Thanks, Zen. Sleep well.

 **ZEN:** Sure thing. Though I'm not sure if I can do that lmao I'll see you later!

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

 **V:**...

 **Wisteria:** V, don't let your guilt grip you. Be strong, I know you can do this. I trust your judgement. Just think about it. I know you'll do the right now.

 **V:** Thank you for your concern, Wisteria.

 **V:** It is a great blessing to have someone to hold you during times of difficulty. Until now I thought that this is all because I could not give her the kind of love she needed...However, such perfect love with somebody seems nothing but a fantasy that can be seen only in works of art.

 **Wisteria:** I think this is more about... the chance to view love in a realistic light.

 **V:** I've come to realize that the love I aimed for cannot be perfect as a work of art. Imperfection would be my reality. Art... Completion... Perfection... They're all nothing but fantasy. Love is a relationship between two completely different people. So is it only natural for it to be imperfect? If that's the case I feel helpless when it comes to love.

 **V:** What was it that Rika truly needed?

 **Wisteria:** That's hard to define. She needed something that was denied when she was young, right? A new life so to speak. She could have wanted to build what she didn't have.

 **V:** If that is what she wanted I could've given her that. But that was not the focus of her life. She'll be the only one who knows what she needs. But now it would be impossible to ask. I've realized I've come too far with no way to turn back.

 **Wisteria:** Everything calls for change. Change isn't a bad thing you know. Things are starting to turn in our favor right now.

 **V:** I am aware of that. I am aware that Saeran is changing and that must be all thanks to you.

 **Wisteria:** He's found the path on his own after a long struggle. Give him his own credit. I am not the whole of his transition. He did that by himself.

 **V:** **...** I think I must leave for a moment. I'll return once my head is clear. Please, wait there just a little bit longer.

 **Wisteria:** I'll do that. Please take care of Seven - if you find him.

 **V:** Of course. And... please take care of Saeran. Now excuse me.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

"Take care of him?" I repeated to myself. The weight of those words hung in the air. We both had things to do to make sure that neither boy was hurt any further. My shoulders slumped forwards and I held myself in the morning light. I was left there hoping that V would begin to unravel the truth sooner rather than later.

* * *

 _LUCY_

The door would not budge.

Lucy pushed against the frame, twisting the knob left and right one more time in a vain attempt to get inside - but it was for naught. The apartment was locked tight and Lila could only be in one of two scernarios - one of those options was one that Lucy didn't want to even consider.

"The spare," Lucy realized after five minutes in front of the door. She felt so ridiculous right now. She had driven all the way here - a whole hour and that wasn't counting how long it took dropping off her daughter with her Mother - and only just realized she could have entered the apartment a long time ago. "She gave me the location of the spare."

It was hidden underneath a footstone. Lucy grabbed the key the moment she reached the little spot - it twinkled underneath the sunlight. "You better be in this apartment and just marathoning some movies." She cursed as she headed back to the door - this was so close. Lucy put the key in the slot and began to open the door. The door began to creek open and it was too dark to see inside.

Today had started like any other day. She woke up and dealt with the chores like always and stared at her phone for what was the fifteenth or so day in a row that she hadn't heard from Lila - that was only counting the days that she had been messaging her nonstop. Lila got busy sometimes and forgot to call. She thought it was that but after some investigation on the internet - she knew she had to go.

 _The car seat was adjusted into place and now Mia was locked snuggly in the back seat. Lucy shut the car door, and looked back at her girlfriend with a little smile on her face. She tucked back her short blond hair behind her ear. "I have everything, now, promise me you won't close shop if I find out something bad."_

 _"I won't close up the shop if you find something bad. I promise. Cross my T's and dot my I's." Harley nodded her head. "Luce, are you sure it's alright? I would have come with you if you wanted. This is the last call for that."_

 _The twenty-four year old sighed. Lucy shook her head. "It's alright. We need the money and I'm sure I'm just blowing this out of proportion." She said._

 _Lucy got into her car and drove the long way back to her hometown where her little sister and mother still lived. The first stop was go drop off Mia - the toddler would get to visit with her Grandma and Lucy would have free hands to make sure Lila was absolutely okay if something was wrong._

 _She carried Mia up to the front door and knocked._

 _Her Mother appeared a moment later with a smile. "Mia, Lucy! This is a surprise - I didnt think you were going to visit for another week. What brings you here?" She cooed at the little toddler and stepped to the side. "C'mon inside, I'm not in the middle of anything so we can chat."_

 _"Hi Mom," Lucy greeted. "I'm not here for a long visit. I was wondering if you could watch Mia for a little while?"_

 _"I'm always happy to watch my favorite grandchild, I mean, my only one right now but she's still my favorite," Her Mother was open arms for the little one._ _Lucy h_ _anded Mia off to her Mother._

 _Lucy was sure her Mom would be able to handle Mia for a little while. She wasn't the best at handling people that could walk and talk but she knew how to handle a little baby - that she could always trust. "Thank you." She glanced down at her phone. It was only a little after noon._

 _"Hey, why did you drop by? You have an appointment or something?"_

 _"No, it's about Lila." Lucy dropped the name and her Mom noticeably soured with the mention. "I haven't heard from her in a while. Have you?"_

 _"Hm. No, she's been ignoring me," She shrugged. "She's just being a child. You shouldn't have driven all the way here just to check on her. She's probably just acting out for attention again. This is the hospital stay all over again."_

 _Lucy stiffened. "That wasn't acting out, Mom. You know she had a problem."_

 _"It's all the same to me. I just don't want you to worry yourself about her when she does this. She shuts people out like this all the time, you should stay here today, I'm having a lityle get together with my friends and that should clear your mind." She advised. "Some wine and normal people, you need that in your life."_

 _Lucy shouldn't have felt so surprised that this was how their mother was acting but she was tired of this nonsense after twenty years of it. "Nobody's seen her in weeks. Nobody. That counts the people she visits at the local stores. I checked. She won't answer her phone. She won't open her door for you - Lila won't even post on her social media platforms and that's usually how I know she's okay! But there's nothing! Something has gone wrong and I need to do something, Mother! I'm going over there and you cant stop me."_

 _She shook her head. "If she thinks she can ignore us that's on her, Lucy."_

 _"Mom. I'm tired of the way you treat Lila," Lucy gripped the front door so hard she thought it might crack underneath her fingers. "You only want to see her when she's accomplished something you can get attention from and don't think I don't know that you always blow it up on social media when you would visit her everyday. I love you, Mom, but you need to stop being so damn selfish."_

 _Her Mother opened her mouth to say something but Lucy raised her free hand to quiet her. "I'm not going to fight with you in front of Mia. I will be back as soon as possible, just as soon as I make sure Lila is okay."_

The door opened and revealed a very quiet room. There wasn't a sign of life here. Lucy tore through the entire apartment. The single bedroom was empty and there was dust on the desk. The bathroom was empty and looked like it hadn't been used in a while. The living room and kitchen held nothing - no one - no answers and a missing little sister. This apartment was empty and had been empty for some time given how it appeared.

Lucy groaned. "Okay. Okay. I just need to look closer before I inform anyone. What if there's a note?"

She pilfered through Lila's bedroom a second time. The spot on the side table was usually where she kept her purse and that was missing. Her shoes that were next to the door were also missing. That meant that she left her apartment at some point - she had been gone willingly for some time. Her laptop was left against the bed and the gaming console was nearby as well.

Everything looked like she left it for a usual evening. "Lila, where are you?" Lucy lamented. "What could have possibly happened to you?"

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria! The morning has come. Additionally, I received a full report on everything that took place last night. I'm hoping for you to take a look at this. I tried to find out whether Luciel's disappearance is related to the recent interrogation by the prosecution service... But the answer was no.

 **Wisteria:** Everything is so... uncertain.

 **Jaehee Kang:** It's worrisome, yes. There must not be... any misfortune. Now I'll try to figure out with the unit if the interrogative interview Zen and Mr. Han had nothing to do with our loss of contact with Seven.

 **Jaehee Kang:** But I feel frustrated. Luckily, today Mr. Han an wi_838372727

 **Wisteria:** Jaehee?

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

"What the fuck," I whispered. Saeran? This error was forced through - a loud shrieking noise emitted from my phone as the chatroom crashed and turned into a makeshift room. I glared at the icon - it was Rika. She was back to talk again. My hope was that she hasn't been able to do anything since she threatened me.

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** I see that Saeran has recovered the chatroom.

 **Wisteria:** You just noticed that now?

 **Rika:** Yes. Thanks to you.

 **Rika:** I had no time to spare for things other than improving the security. Even if he did manage to recover the messenger, there's no telling when I'll find my way inside this chatroom like how Saeran does. So I suggest that you choose your next words carefully.

 **Wisteria:** I'm not afraid of you, Rika - you can't control me.

 **Rika:** I can't stop your words. But I can stop you. You are welcome to try me if you're wondering whether that's true, I've been checking the RFA chat logs. One of their members is missing... but they are having discussions as if they're on a picnic. My sympathy for RFA grows by the minute. If I were there, I would have immediately sent someone to find him.

 **Wisteria:** Unlike you, the RFA is being careful to minimize damage. They're thinking this over and trying to find the best case scenario.

 **Rika:** You mean that our definitions of damage are different. You must be ready to suffer some damage without hesitation in order to contribute to the establishment of paradise. And V is not strong enough to do that!

 **Rika:** A boy has gone missing and he's just neglecting him... And that boy is very useful. We cannot afford to lose him. He is also what motivates Saeran to prove himself.

 **Wisteria:** These brothers have suffered enough, Rika!

 **Wisteria:** You need to stop trying to control these people. Stop using people like they're toys to be thrown away.

 **Rika:** Someone told you that they're brothers.

 **Rika:** Did Saeran tell you? or did V tell you when he infiltrated this place? You don't have to tell me now. Even if you don't want to tell me, you'll soon get to tell me yourself.

 **Rika:** Lila, I have a question. I wonder if right now you're scorning me and letting your imagination fly in your room. For example, that Ray will come back and save you.

 **Wisteria: What are you playing at?**

 **Rika:** You're very naive. You've let a foolish thought take you over. Some miracle might come to you since Saeran visited you last night. I believe I told you last night... you're nothing but bait for Saeran. Since he visited you, I was able to find him.

(image)

"Oh, no,no, no." A gasp left my lips. "Please, no, this isn't happening. This can't be happening."

Rika had Saeran. He was laying in a bed in what appeared to be her chambers. Perhaps the ones that I had been dragged to nights prior. She likely had caught him after he came to see me. I couldn't warn him. I had been so happy to see he was unhurt.

He was knocked out cold with her hand resting close to his face. His skin was damp and he looked clammy. He was suffering from a fever, and numerous other ailments from my naked eye.

 **Wisteria:** What did you do to him?

 **Rika:** He's merely giving time for the elixir to spread over his body. He must be aware that he has done something wrong. So he said nothing and drank all the elixir I gave him. I'm sure it was a lot to take in. Has he finally come to understand that there's no way for him to run away from this place...

 **Rika:** Away from Magenta?

 **Wisteria:** Even if you forced him to take those drugs, he's going to free himself from you when he wakes up. This isn't going to stop him for long.

 **Rika:** You underestimate the elixir's power. I must admit your influence on him is extraordinary.

 **Rika:** I shall keep you around because you've proven to be useful to this boy on several occasions. I think that's a very good role for you in paradise since you so foolishly denied me before so many times.

 **Wisteria:** I won't let you use me so easily.

 **Rika:** Do you think so? You would be surprised how much leverage I have. I hold all the chips. You are nothing but a bane, sister. You will soon be grateful that you can sacrifice yourself for the establishment... of a mighty paradise. Very soon, you will get to see the elixir of salvation.

 **Rika:** And all members of the RFA would get to taste the elixir... Starting with you.

 **Wisteria:** Do you really and truly believe you can force people into peace, Rika? This isn't how the world works. You can't play chess with the world underneath your fingertips. It isn't right. It will never be okay.

 **Rika:** Hmph. I guess you don't know any history of the world. Oh, that's right. Did you read what V said late at night?

 **Wisteria:** That man loved you with all of his heart. V feels like he couldn't love you enough to save you. He couldn't love you the way you needed. The way that you wanted him to.

 **Rika:** He should feel guilty. It appears he finally realized how gravely mistaken he was when he thought that he could provide me with the love I needed. He promised me eternal love as if he could give me anything I wanted. He tried to drown me in love that denies who I am!

 **Rika:** That hypocrite!

 **Wisteria:** I can't say V did the right thing, but he did everything with pure intentions for you V. He loved you and wanted the best for you. You wouldn't have to prove how strong you are anymore if you just accept yourself the way you are. You don't have to control people to live a comfortable life.

 **Rika:** Are you saying that I am suspecting my own power? You're wrong. That hypocrite will soon kneel before Saeran. Saeran has grown much stronger. I hope he will wake up soon. I believe there's nothing better than watching Saeran destroy V himself. Yes, my boy, that would be very well to see with our eyes.

 **Wisteria:** If only you nurtured him well.

 **Rika:** I can guarantee that I've nurtured him better than how my adopted parents raised me. He's much better off in paradise with me, as his caregiver. Paradise is a place where we can come together in our darkness. You should have known to join us and be someone like me - like our Father. Hah.

 **Rika:** I must check on my child again. As for you, I want you to keep playing with the RFA so they keep talking.

 **Wisteria:** Don't you dare hurt Saeran anymore, Rika -

 **Rika:** I promise him a brilliant future... If he suffers now, he deserves it. He needs it. I must go. For eternal paradise.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**


	24. Chapter 24

_I_ _ **NTERLUDE 5: Takes place after Chapter Nineteen**_

* * *

It was immense.

The burning ache that made him dizzy and his heart race. The heat that he was feeling was strong and so uncomfortable that he wanted to immerse his body in a bath of ice just to make it stop. It was impossible, however, as Saeran found he was trapped... unable to escape with darkness enveloping his body three hundred and sixty degrees around him.

Dark.

It was dark.

Saeran hated the dark.

The memories of his childhood were haunting him in this darkness. They wouldn't leave him alone. The terror of the abuse and the feeling that he would never escape kept whirling in his mind.

The feeling that he was being chocked by the hand of the darkness in a small cellar sprang into his mind. He shuddered. No, no, he didn't want to feel the pain of those memories. He frantically looked around in the black for something different than the hollow feeling he usually saw. This was his eternal labyrinth - an endless maze and tunnels that lead to dead ends and monsters.

He would turn to the left and walk into a wall. He would turn around and lose his way from the starting point. He would run right and round and round corners like a carousel but the path would never end. Saeran kept walking. There was nothing to do but walk through this maze until the end of time.

There, just beyond his hand was a glimmer of something new. Something different to the back of his eyelids and the quivering fear.

He began to stumble forward through the thicket like a deer that took its first steps as it breathed the spring air. He pushed, and pushed against what was a tangle of rose briars and vines for an eternity... when all of a sudden he wasn't bathed in the darkness anymore - There was a blinding light radiating from up above him and he felt the sun against his pale skin. Light? He wondered.

Saeran raised his hand to the light of the sun to shield his eyes.

He was accustomed to the dark, to the artificial view, not to the real sky above him. When he could blink away the lain and adjust what he was seeing made him do a double take. What he had seen just beyond him was that girl and an endless sea of colors, trees, flowers, grass, even the dirt was different. It was like the world was made with blinding colors he had not yet seen before.

"Oh, it's you." She spoke up with a warm smile and a laugh that rivaled the sun the way it made him heat up. "You didn't get too lost on your way here, did you?" He couldn't quite see her face as she stood just beyond him behind a thicket of Wisteria that dangled from treetops.

The voice was very familiar to him for some reason. She spoke with such fondness it made his head spin. Is she talking to me? Saeran wondered.

Surely she wasn't referring to him of all people in the world. Who would be surprised to see him? He hadn't many people in this world who cared about his well-being. He suffered because he had to, that was what he had believed for so long. Because that woman had told him this was what he could do. The only way for him to be useful.

This feeling was wrong and different. The darkness that was behind him whispered to him. He should turn around and go back to the unknown but he found himself unable to turn away. What was he doing...? He was supposed to be doing something but he couldn't remember what it was.

Just when Saeran decided that he should turn around she spoke once more. "It's scary to do something you've never done before, isn't it?"

"..." Saeran froze in his tracks.

"There are so many things you can never expect in the world outside the four walls that you've been bound to. Sometimes we take a wrong turn along the road we're on and end up hurt in some way shape or form, and sometimes a wrong path can bring you something incredible." Her fingertips reached out and grasped one of the petals from the winding vine.

A few escaped hand and blew by in the breeze - some falling to the Earth below and others cascading along the wind for miles. "If you never take the chance to experience that, you'll be stuck in this endless cycle of misery. You have to make a decision very soon, Saeran. Are you scared?"

"...It's terrifying to think about," Saeran admitted the words he had been avoiding for a long time. "To abandon all you've come to know, for it to all have been a lie, to think that maybe you've been lead astray, and to even think about escaping that place and surviving outside."

She seemed to be without fear.

It was strange to see anyone hold themselves against the darkness with a smile like that on their face. Was it naive to think that the light had some power against it... or was it the way it should have always been?

"You are not alone..." She reached out towards with him her waiting hand. The look in her eyes warm and full of hope. "There's always been people that care about you, even those that may not know your name or you just yet. There's a world out there that you have only dreamed of at your fingertips and all you have to do is fight for it instead of against it. People will stand with you. So you shouldn't be fearful of the unknown anymore. Embrace it, and become the person you know you are."

The feeling in his stomach made him want to retch. Raw unadulterated fear, the unknown, the feeling that escape was impossible for someone like him. He would never be able to escape that feeling but he so desperately wanted a life outside of that fear. He wanted to do anything for that dream - but could he ever be able to achieve those dreams? After so many people helped him or tried to guide him somewhere - he didn't feel like he could trust his own opinion.

Saeran wanted to free. These ghosts of the past were haunting him and they would not leave. He couldn't fight them forever. He couldn't hold back them, could he? Was he really strong enough? He had said he was the strongest but he only believed this because of his misfortune.

"Do you think I'll be able to protect her? Better yet, to protect myself?" He asked. "What if the world isn't like I imagined and I can't... I can't adapt. What if I get out there and find out I was wrong about this?"

That he wasn't made for that world and she was.

Her hand rested still waiting for him.

Saeran reached out for it but his dream was starting to fade away.

"Oh, Saeran... You already know the answer in your heart. I don't need to tell you what you already know. You found your way here, didn't you? Always remember the light can be found now... please, wake up... Wake up... Wake up..."

* * *

The temperature of this room was always just below right. It would be cold enough that it would creep up your skin, the kind where you needed a coat to feel right if you were able. This time of year this was how she liked it inside... no one would tell her otherwise. This room was dark compared to how it would have been if Lila were awake. It was how it should be.

Rika had been sitting here for quite some time. Saeran was showing no signs of waking soon and he was going through quite the transformation. It was a beautiful sight to behold but - there was so much a savior had to tend to in paradise. Namely, her first step of this evening was to face Lila again.

Something Ray had found on her phone and had been tinkering with for some time left her curious.

Ah, Lila had begun to stir.

"Where..." She looked disoriented.

Lila twisted her head to the left and to the right. It was to no avail as the room she was residing in was currently bathed in darkness. Her eyes fell to her locked hands. They were currently bound very tight for her own good- this chat would be short until she left her bound in this playroom until the right moment to bring about her ceremony- so she would only need her this for a short time.

Rika didn't want to take any chances anymore with Lila.

"You," Lila whispered as they met each other's gaze. Her eyes were still fierce as they ever had been, bathed in brown with the hint of green within them. Such a vicious expression for a face as lovely as hers might have been. "Why are you here?"

"To visit my little sister, of course," Rika sat down in the chair across from Lila with her hands folded neatly and an ever-present smile on her face. "Saeran won't be awake for some time now, I must let him rest a while longer before he can return to work. He's going through a very difficult time now but it's all going to be worth it in the end."

"You can't control him anymore," Lila said, never tearing her eyes away from Rika.

She would deal with her childish behavior in the day to come. Lila would learn the right thing soon enough, tonight wasn't about Saeran, so she could brush past her annoyance at such until then. "I'm afraid you're still naive. You must stop denying my way in life. This is how I see things fit- this is the true way to live: Agony and Bliss, agony and bliss, and bliss and agony. A circle of paradise that I know best." Rika reminded.

Lila was quiet now.

That was good.

"Tell me, Lila, I'm curious about you." There was something she needed out of Lila. Things that she couldn't gather from Claude. Like a game of chess. You have to read your opponent and expect their next move. Information is the key to deter and to overpower one. "There's a few things that I want to know that you can tell me."

If you want to know how to destroy someone and build them back together, you needed to hold all of the chips in the game. Everything was within her grasps and not Lila's yet despite the both of them knowing this the girl wouldn't back down even now, even with everything in Rika's hands.

"After all you've done you think I'll sit here and have a tea party with you like you haven't done wrong? Why now? I'm never going to see your worldview - I thought you were angry at me for ruining your plans, huh? What is so important that you can't get out of your other followers?" Lila didn't even flinch this time. "What is it that you want so badly that made you become like this?"

That was a nasty response. Rika only sighed at the sound.

She was beyond hope- beyond her reach, even now in the darkness. She disregarded those worries and words that she had. Who was she to try and learn things she didn't need to know? She knew just enough. "I should rephrase. You should tell me what I want to hear if you don't want your punishment to come to be painful. What can you tell me about the world you're from?"

"If you want someone to utter your praise and tell you everything, why don't you try him?" Lila said. Her foolish attempts to free her hands falling flat against her lap as she did such. It was meaningless for her to try and use her words as her tools now, yet here she was pushing forward. "Ask our father."

"He's indisposed at the moment, I'm afraid," Rika explained, a nonchalant shrug gracing her shoulders in rebuff. It was the truth. He was in a state similar to Saeran, but he was coming around faster than her precious boy. "I have big plans for him once he recovers from his cleansing just like my dear Saeran. Fear not for his sake... for their sake."

She sat there, musing, thinking what she should say. Lila lifted her head up - and looked to the window pane where the outside world was just beyond her. "What are you planning?"

"Planning? You act as if I'm doing something malicious." Rika countered. "I'm only interested in learning more about you."

Rika stood. She glanced around the room, this disgustingly decorated room, and her eyes settled on something into the corner. Ah, that was interesting. Her footsteps echoed through the room as she went to pick up the discarded book as it lay against the ground. "What are you doing?"

Rika pilfered through it.

Drawings. Illustrations. Layouts. It seemed her talents truly were in the arts like he had said and that only solidified the thought that Lila was bright even if she chose the wrong allies. Rika clicked her tongue. "What things you've seen," These where of places and people she had never seen before - environments that she had seen through a cell phone, now concrete on paper in front of her. "What information and wonder you have underneath your fingertips."

"There's a few things that I want to understand." Rika said. Her eyes settled on the most recent page of this notebook - it was an illustration of Saeran, and another, and another, and another, and another, and another. Lila thought she had hold on her hacker, huh?

Rika shut the door with a firm hold, and spun around to stare the girl in the eyes. "Something I know you've been hiding from the start now."

Claude had detailed how he found his way back to this place to her after the truth was revealed - he had seen something - had seen a glimmer of her somewhere and knew that he had to return. What that glimmer was, Rika had not been able to find. The only hint she had - the only clue she could locate - was what Ray told her when he first managed to get inside of Lila's phone.

There was already a variation of the RFA messenger on her cell phone. It was something that stumped Ray, something that made him confused as he pilfered through the code in his spare time, and something that had been corrupted so many times despite his efforts. Saeran had been too much of a live-wire and had been too busy keeping their defenses up to look into the information for Rika.

Lila knew _Something_ about the RFA and whatever she knew, she was pretending she didn't know. It was clear. Something that could benefit her. Something that could give her the upper hand. What would her world have that could allow her to know about the RFA? What indeed.

"Tell me, Lila," Rika smiled. "How does it feel to play games with them? You know about them and yet you've pretended this entire time you didn't know anything. But how could you, you're from an entirely different world than us, a place untouched by us, that doesn't know us? I wonder what you know."

"..." Lila didn't respond.

"You sit there and act so mighty - so innocent - so pure - a naive little princess in her tower. Yet, you've played them for fools just the same as you've blamed me of doing. We're not so different you and I. We've suffered through so many difficult things, haven't we? The darkness surrounds us. It encased our very being and yet - we breathe it in. We flourish from the pain, Lila." Rika said, her feet taking her closer and closer to the woman as she there and could do nothing but listen.

"The sun rises and the moon sets. The sun sets and the moon rises. The Earth spins on its axis just the same as it does in this place," Lila began to say. "There's nothing different about my world than yours. They're almost exact replicas of one another - I don't know what you're trying to gain here."

Rika frowned. That wasn't what she wanted to hear. That wasn't what she wanted to hear at all.. All she needed was a reminder, how foolish of her to forget her complacency. "Tell me now, how was it you had a type of messenger on your phone - made in the same design and style as the RFA's? It was everything down to the letter. Saeran saw the code before it crashed in our system. You know more about them then you let on."

Lila shook her head. "I don't know what you're talking about!"

"Still playing your game, huh?" Rika inquired. "That's a shame. You can't hide the truth forever. It is only a a matter of time until you reveal the truth to me - willingly or not. I have my ways. I know what makes you tick. What makes you upset, what makes you cry, what makes you tremble, what you want to hear."

Rika leaned in close next to her ear. "You've been hurt so much in your life. I only wished for you to feel the raw spirit here with me - with our family here at Mint Eye. Don't you want to never experience that ever again? You could join me. You could be a queen in paradise with me."

"You could have everything you ever wanted. A good family by your side and friends that understand you, all the time in the world to paint masterpieces, a kingdom of people who adore you, and even Saeran by your side." Rika pulled back. That mention of the boy's name was enough to draw out a reaction out of her. "Oh, yes, I'm willing to look past your futile failures if you listen to me - it's generous of me to allow you to have him at all considering what you've done against us. Perhaps that's all you wanted all along. Somebody who worships you."

"Isn't that what you want, Lila? To bend a man to your will rather than the other way around? I could show you the way. No one would ever hurt you ever again. You would have me protecting you and Saeran from the pain out the outside world. We could bring so many people to paradise from this world and yours. They could see the beautiful truth."

Lila just sat there for a long sixty-seconds saying nothing, then her mouth opened again and she said something- muttered something - It was gargled, unclear, and unsure.

Rika raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"I said," Lila began to repeat it. Her eyes narrowing and voice becoming clear through her lips. "I thought I could understand you. I thought I could figure you out - understand what hurt you and twisted you up into who you are now but I don't think it's worth it anymore. You've hurt so many people and destroyed so many lives. V is so much better than I am because he still wants to save you - he wants to protect you from the punishment you deserve. You're nothing but a monster."

"A monster?" It happened in the blink of an eye the words pulling something sinister out of this once petite woman with lush hair and twinkling green eyes. She lashed out - her anger fueling her body. Rika tackled her from the chair and onto the ground with one hard smack - the next blow coming right aftet that. "How dare you. I can't stand you." Rika hissed. "The real monsters are people like you! People like that traitor V! People that don't understand anything!"

If she was a a monster she would embody it wholly and strike terror into the masses that ever dared cross her.

She wanted to destroy her.

She wanted to get rid of her at that moment with her own hands.

The hands fueled by her darkness and the abyss in her core. Anyone could be capable of this strength if they accepted themselves. She could do it. She could end it right here. It wouldn't take much to do that.

Rika had done it before and she could do it again.

Lila lay there against the ground with nothing but pity in her eyes. The kind of look that she had seen before - so disgraceful - so disgusting - so wrong. A little bit of blood dribbled from her lips but it was nothing but a small wound in the scheme of things to come for her. Blood. There was blood coming out of her from that strike and all she had done was smack her into the ground.

And then, Rika realized what was happening.

Her mind came back to her and she could do nothing but try and reduce her anger until later. Later. Later Lila would face her fate in front of her Believers. That was the main act that needed to be soon. To end her right now would be less of an advantage. Rika dusted herself off, fixing the creases in her dress and composing herself. - she brushed the hair from her face and recomposed herself back to near perfect as she stood over her younger sister.

Lila spat the thick ooze from her lips out onto the plush carpet- staining the princess pink with her blood.

"My, my, look at the time already. I must return to Saeran now," She said with a smile. "I didn't think that much time had passed already but you've managed to give me everything I needed."

Rika headed towards thr door and only turned back to look at the girl when her hand grazed the knob. "Enjoy the rest of your evening until they come for you. I have an especially large dosage of elixir being created for you. I'll rid myself of my imperfect and callous little sister and mold her into the one I always wanted. One who will listen to my every word and cherish it. You will never think of defying me or stealing what I protect and cherish ever again once I'm finished."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

My motivation is so low lately but I'm doing my best to keep my stories going as best as I can. Remember that reviews and good vibes are appreciated and help me feel like I can update faster!


	25. Chapter 25

TWENTY

"Messes."

* * *

For a while, I just laid there and stared at the ceiling. I thought about what I had been through and what had gone wrong.

"She's a monster." The trigger words that had left my lips had been enough to make Rika inevitably want to draw blood from my body.

What had happened to the girl that V knew - a girl that had loved his photography and kindness - that had twisted her into that? I wanted to despise her, to hate her for what had happened, but I couldn't bring myself to hate the woman. I could only pity the person she had become. To think V still loved her with all of his heart pained me, hurt me in ways that hit too close to home.

He, too, was trapped in a love that blinded him to his misery. My promise to him still stood. If I could free Saeran from this place, I would do whatever I could to help V take her down. She needed to be stopped before someone got seriously hurt. I didn't think anyone had been killed in this place, but those cleansing ceremonies could really ruin someone.

They could hurt them like it had Saeran and Ray for so long.

My hands were bound together with a loose layer of tape that I could easily snap apart if I applied the right force but my head was spinning from the encounter and the pain that ached all over my body from Rika's lashing. She had tied me back so I wouldn't do anything but yet, she was the one to hurt me. Rika left me here to my own devices after the door locked behind her - there would be Believers stationed outside in her wake, no way out.

Saeran.

If Saeran was trapped with Rika inches away he might never be able to run. I didn't want to think about what could become of him if that were the case. She could have drugged him beyond the point of no return. I couldn't bear the fear my stomach felt.

"What am I supposed to do...? If he doesn't wake up soon and I can't talk to him again... I'm doomed." I whispered - hoping someone would answer me, but no one would. I could only sit here. What could I do? These four walls surrounded me and I had no way out of here.

The shimmering liquid that was called the elixir of paradise wasn't anything that I wanted to taste. In the light of the room that flooded in through the window, I sat there and cried.

* * *

 _LUCY_

It was a holiday weekend and the police didn't her seriously when she told them her sister might be in danger. She got turned away and would have to try again once it was the start of the week, and that might be too late. There were no signs of a struggle and the only thing that noted she was gone was her bag being gone. Lucy had to think of something.

Where did Lila go?

What were the common spots she visited?

The quest ensued from that point. She ventured into town, checking every spot that she knew her sister would frequent.

She had caught her old friend on duty at the local cafe, flagging her down when she stood at the front desk with a coffee in hand. Lucy didn't want to seem frantic so, she took a deep breath and greeted her friend, getting the small formalities out of the way before asking the really big questions. "I know Lila drops by a lot during the weekdays. The last time you spoke to her was when?"

The waitress leaned against her post, she thought about that. This was the worst cafe in town but the last time she had seen Lila was a busy night. But she had seen her walk to her apartment. She should have been alright. "She came into the shop a few weeks ago to grab some dinner. She looked pretty sore about something, I think your Mom had visited her or something like that. I was in a crunch at that hour so I couldn't talk to her. Is she alright, Lucy?"

"I'm not sure." Lucy's shoulders slumped. "She wasn't home and her phone and keys were gone. It isn't like her to just pick up a trip and leave "

A patron called her from across the room. A frown settled on her face as she shared a parting look with Lucy. "I'm sorry to hear that. I hope she just took a trip, I gotta get back to work. If I see anything or hear anything, I'll call you, Lucy!"

This would become a pattern the rest of the afternoon when Lucy visited every spot that she could think of. The bakery that an old family friend run, the little convenience store, and even the little farmers market that had the sweetest strawberries. Nobody at any of those places had seen Lila in quite a while. But, nobody thought it was strange since Lila had spikes every other month where she just didn't leave her house.

Back at square one, Lucy sat at the table in her little sister's apartment with her head folded into her hands. When she looked up she caught sight of a painting that was still resting against the easel with some old painting supplies skewed around underneath it and out of the way. The painting wasn't dated yet. It was a flower garden with a little hedgehog sleeping peacefully amongst the primrose flowers. It was a beautiful peace even if it wasn't finished in Lila's eyes.

"It's beautiful," Lucy mumbled underneath her breath as she went to inspect the painting. "This has to be the gift she was talking about for Mia's nursery. I can't believe she got this much done already."

After staring at the painting and feeling like she was at a loss. Lucy decided to check around one more time. She must have missed something in her first search that could give her a tip-off.

The clock on the wall read that it was just a little past three o'clock in the afternoon. There was still time to check a few more things out before she had to check up on her daughter and her mother. Lucy looked around some more, her eyes set on the laptop that had been abandoned on the bed. Lila spent a lot of free time on her computer but she was never sure what she was up to doing.

She turned on the laptop.

It launched to life and she opened the browser. It asked if she wanted to open the recently closed tabs and she did it. Lucy noticed that some things were that were out of the ordinary. There was some music in one tab, a social media profile in another, and a mysterious looking tab. She clicked the tab and it sprang to life in front of her eyes. There was an image of some kind with animated characters, and with Lucy clicked it and raised an eyebrow.

"What the heck is Mystic Messenger?"

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Wisteria! The messenger was a little weird just now, wasn't it?

 **Wisteria:** It was. It wasn't just you. Could you inform the intelligence unit?

 **Wisteria:** Please?

 **Yoosung:** I will! I think I can hear Jaehee sighing again. She told that she's basically buried in her work... I tried to log in but it was blocked for a long time and I couldn't figure it out. That was scary.

 **Wisteria:** It's good that you can get in now though.

 **Yoosung:** I'll say... I was so scared our messenger would be gone.

 **Yoosung:** Oh, Wisteria, about all that stuff with V and Zen last night...

 **Wisteria:** It's reached a tipping point, yes, there's no way that things can be undone from here but we can start to go in the right direction from here, don't you think?

 **Yoosung:** At least now... I thought the fundamental reason why V told us his secrets. Now that he was honest, don't you feel so much better?

 **Wisteria:** I think the question would be, don't you feel a little better? It's good that he's decided to be honest, so, it's time to hear him out when he decides to speak with everyone.

 **Yoosung:** I hope he'll find the courage to do so... and tell us everything. Everyone can cooperate and find Seven! I hope... Personally, regarding V, I think now... well... I'm less suspicious of him now.

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Oh.

 **Wisteria:** Hello V. Have you heard anything out of Seven?

 **V:** Not yet...

 **Yoosung:** Oh no T_T

 **Wisteria:** I'm getting uneasy about this whole thing.

 **V:** I'm on the edge of myself as well.

 **Yoosung:** Seven is going to be okay, right? CRYING EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** It's been hours since Seven logged in. What if something bad already happened?

 **V:** I wish I could do something right now.

 **Yoosung:** Since there's so much that we don't know we can't help even if we want too... Am I correct? T_T

 **Wisteria:** V, you can do something. Please have faith.

 **V:** Yes, I will.

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** Seriously!? You will? Are you sure your name is V?

 **V:** I tried to wait until Jumin returned... but there isn't much time.

 **Yoosung:** Right. There isn't. By then it would be too late. First, why don't we call the police?

 **V:** Police won't be able to help us.

 **Wisteria:** Public power isn't a part of this. This is more personal.

 **V:** Jaehee told me that our loss of contact with Seven is irrelevant to our recent encounter with the prosecution service.

 **Yoosung:** She did?

 **V:** Yes. Whether Luciel was taken by the public power or not... I can guarantee it's because of his personal relations.

 **Yoosung:** Personal relations? Can you give me the details?

 **V:** I'm about to.

 **Wisteria:** Really?

 **Yoosung:** V, are you.. going to unleash your secret?

 **V:** Yes. I will soon publish all of these in the media. I was originally planning to keep them confidential until then. However, I decided that the fact that there is no way to protect everyone and at the same time make sure...

 **V:** Everyone is happy.

 **Wisteria:** I'm glad you finally saw that.

 **V:** There's no time to consider that.

 **Yoosung:** You can say I was forced to take another step of growth... You're growing up, V.

 **V:** Yes... It seems so. Hehe... SWEATDROP EMOJI

 **V:** From here on, once you hear my story and decide that the RFA is too dangerous... You're welcome to leave the RFA.

 **Yoosung:**! Ugh.

 **Wisteria:** That's a little rough to toss out so suddenly like that, V.

 **V:** He deserves a choice.

 **Yoosung:** So you know that I'll listen to this until the end... since you're being so serious about this, let me brace myself.

 **V:** Very well.

 **Wisteria:** There's... There's not much time, V. You should do it now.

 **Yoosung:** So tell me! What is Seven's secret?!

 **V:** Sure... I'll tell you everything.

 **V:** Seven is working at an agency comprised of hackers. Since his agency frequently treats nationally confidential information he would often find himself in life-threatening situations. He must infiltrate anonymously and make himself escape anonymously.

 **Yoosung:** So he was being honest... I just can't imagine what he'd been through... Just what made him work at such a dangerous place?

 **V:**...It's to hide from his father.

 **Yoosung:** CONFUSED EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** Who is his father? And why would he want to hide from his own father?

 **Wisteria:** Brace yourself.

 **Yoosung:** Deep breath...!

 **V:** Luciel is... The illegitimate son of... the prime minister who wanted to buy my pictures.

 **Yoosung: ...**

 **Yoosung: ...?!**

 **Yoosung: ?!**

 **Wisteria:** Yoosung, please, don't freak out. Breathe.

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Yoosung** : You mind if I read that again? I just. What?

 **V:** He became an agent in order to hide who he really didn't really want to, though. Because he wanted to be with his younger brother.

 **Yoosung:**?

 **Wisteria:** Yes, he has a younger brother.

 **V:** And Wisteria happens to be with Luciel's brother.

 **Yoosung:** What?

 **Wisteria:** It's the truth.

 **Yoosung:** I think my brain is overloading right now. Before we get to his brother... um, could we wrap up the part about the Prime Minister?

 **V:** Very well.

 **Yoosung:** uh wait. Where should I start?

 **Yoosung:** Did Jumin and Zen get interviewed because the Prime Minister did something?

 **V:** That's right.

 **Yoosung:** What?

 **V:** Luciel already officiated it.

 **Yoosung:** CRYING EMOJI I'm completely freaking out here! T_T This is getting bigger and bigger.

 **Yoosung:** than m yh he ead can take.

 **Yoosung** : uh

 **Yoosung** : Then my head can handle**

 **Yoosung:** So is his younger brother also an illegitimate son?

 **Wisteria:** They're twins. Which is why he could be in just as much danger as Seven.

 **Yoosung:** Why did you tell Wisteria first?

 **V:** I'll tell you why very soon.

 **Yoosung:** No way - So both Seven and his younger brother... are in danger right now?

 **Wisteria:** Yes. His brother isn't... I mean, the Prime Minister doesn't have his hands on him yet. He's okay.

 **Yoosung:** That's good but what about Seven? I should call the police. wait wait wait. If we're against the Prime Minister shouldn't we protect his brother too?!

 **V:** About him...

 **Yoosung:** Where is his brother? We need to protect him!

 **Wisteria:** Yes... He needs protection more than ever.

 **Yoosung:** Ugh seriously? I can't imagine how scared he must when his older brother's been kidnapped.

 **V:** Thankfully he's not shivering in fear because of his father.

 **V:** Because his twin brother is the hacker that attacked our messenger.

 **Yoosung: WHAT?**

 **Yoosung:**...Why would his brother...?

 **Yoosung:** Did he want to join the RFA?

 **Wisteria:** He's been manipulated and tricked to hate the RFA, I'm afraid.

 **Yoosung:** What? This is just some kind of movie, right?

 **Yoosung** : Tell me... This is just a joke.

 **V:** While Luciel was living the life of an informant... his brother suffered unimaginable pain. I have no right to see his brother...

 **Wisteria:** V, you had no control of the situation. You couldn't have handled that entirely.

 **V:** Do you think so?

 **Yoosung:** About what hurt his brother... was it something that you could stop?

 **V:** I would've stopped it if I could... if only I had now beforehand. But...

 **Yoosung:** You didn't...

 **V:** No...

 **Yoosung:** So then did he hack the messenger because he hates the RFA? Because Seven's a member? What about Wisteria?!

 **Wisteria:**...I became a part of this unwittingly, so to speak, I was also played and used here.

 **Yoosung:** What? So was Wisteria chatting with us all this time while knowing what's going on... on both sides?

 **Wisteria:** At first, yes, that is a how it was. I'm sorry that I couldn't be frank about that in the beginning. Now I'm doing this to protect Seven's brother and the RFA the best that I can - from any danger here.

 **Yoosung:** No way.

 **V:** She is doing her best so both sides can reach peace. Although she is still in the same place as the hacker.

 **Yoosung:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** Is she really with the hacker? You mean this entire time? What? Is she okay?!

 **Wisteria:** Yes. I'm okay, that's the point. I've been alright this whole time because of his brother.

 **Yoosung:** V, you knew this, didn't you?

 **V:** I tried my best to protect her. She's safe because she's been holding herself very wisely.

 **Yoosung:** Wisteria... You're amazing. You were the one who told us we can trust Wisteria!

 **V:** I already knew where she was, along with the fact that she's an innocent person being exploited.

 **Yoosung:** SHOCK! CHAOS! One more thing... Aren't we against two hackers?

 **Wisteria:** There's only one hacker, Yoosung. There's only been one this entire time. He has gone through a lot of trauma, and because of that it gradually shifted his personality into two different people so to speak. So, yes, he's one person - just with two personalities.

 **Yoosung:**...Whoa. Now I'm getting really scared. I just can't imagine what kind of place he was in. But since I'm already getting shocked with so much... I'll have to leave that for later. Seven knew nothing about this?

 **V:** He doesn't know that the hacker is his brother.

 **Wisteria:** It would have been very hard if he learned that.

 **Yoosung:** He would've been heartbroken but he deserved to know about it! He's his brother!

 **Wisteria: ...**

 **V:** I didn't know at first either. It was too late by the time I realized who it was. That's why I asked Jumin for help. Help was able to materialize as the intelligence unit.

 **Yoosung:** Oh.

 **V:** Now that we have reached this far, I thought that once Luciel finds out about everything... There may not be a solution to this... only the tempest of his rage.

 **Yoosung:** Doesn't Seven have a right to be angry?

 **Wisteria:** Of course he does. Anger will never solve anything, however. It just makes things worse.

 **V: She's right.**

 **Yoosung:** He's the one who's been fighting the hacker!

 **V:** I thought that's the only way I could protect him... among other things... until now.

 **Wisteria:** This is very heartbreaking but the truth is something everyone has to face. It can't be avoided any longer. I'm just glad we're getting this out now. Before it's too late to do it.

 **V:** Yes... There is no option left for me but that.

 **Yoosung:** Wait a sec

 **V:** Yoosung

 **Yoosung:** There's one more thing I want to ask.

 **Wisteria:** About the person who used Seven's brother?

 **Yoosung:** Yeah.

 **V:** wait a minute. I I think I have to lea

 **V:** ve ri

 **V has left the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:** V...

 **Yoosung:** I can see why he didn't tell us anything now. I'm having a hard time trying to not freak out. This is such a huge secret. So V was saying no to the Prime Minister this whole time because he was pretending to want to buy his pictures?

 **Wisteria:** That's right. He's been trying to protect them this whole time.

 **Yoosung:** I'm starting to admire V, for not shivering, in front of that man. So that's why the Prime Minister kept saying he wants to give us commendation. in reality, he wanted to find out about Seven. This is so scary! So in the end, the Prime Minister managed to call Zen and Jumin for interrogations to ask about Seven.

 **Wisteria:** I'm sure there was nothing he got from either of them.

 **Yoosung:** T_T So Seven is... the illegitimate son of Prime Minister and he's now... missing. Seven... This is... really dangerous, isn't it?

 **Wisteria:** His brother is in danger too.

 **Yoosung: Ugh...** Did Rika know about this when she was alive...?

 **Wisteria: ...**

 **Yoosung:** I _ 455453450345045

 **Yoosung has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** You were chatting with Yoosung. I must see whether you've said something you shouldn't.

 **Wisteria:** V and RFA are going to confront the truth, Rika. Everything about those twins is going to be out sooner or later.

 **Rika:** And do you expect me to be scared? Your threat is very weak, nothing but a ridiculous monologue to me. Ah... I don't know. That's new. I wasn't aware their father was after them.

 **Wisteria:** Saeran is in danger as well, from more than just you. What part of that don't you understand?

 **Rika:** This place is safe. If only Saeran grows into the person I want him too... I would get to meet Yoosung in person very soon. I have a perfect place for him to be nurtured. My heart ached so much to see him lost.

 **Wisteria:** The RFA would never find themselves here. You're a delusion to think otherwise.

 **Rika:** Are you playing prophet? You have no power to stop me or to direct what I can manage. I miss Yoosung... I miss him dearly.

 **Wisteria:** If you loved any of them you wouldn't do this.

 **Rika:** What do you know? You're just a little girl pretending to be brave, aren't you? I have no time to argue with you. You haven't said anything that displeases me to the RFA yet but I'm watching you.

 **Rika:** I wonder when Saeran will wake up. I must return to nurse him.

 **Wisteria:** Can you just tell me if he's alright?

 **Rika:** He's under my care. He's none of your business. I'm leaving. For eternal paradise.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**


	26. Chapter 26

TWENTY ONE

"Cracks in Paradise."

* * *

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Finally the messenger is working again! What's wrong with this app?

 **Wisteria:** Hey Yoosung? How are Zen and Jaehee doing?

 **Yoosung:** I told them everything that I heard from V and of course, both of them were completely freaked out. Zen said that he'll gladly sacrifice anything and reveal all evidence if there is some. Though Jaehee is trying to stop him... since it's dangerous. I think it'd be better to make an official announcement... at the party tomorrow.

 **Wisteria:** That doesn't sound so bad, but I think that would be dangerous. There's a lot of secrets and we need to be careful and think this through. Ugh. If only Jumin was back from the prosecution service.

 **Yoosung:** I think that's what Jaehee thinks. If we're going to unleash a bunch of secrets, first the truth about the Prime Minister and his illegitimate sons is a must. And if there's any other evidence on the group of people that used the hacker and you to their benefits...

 **Yoosung:** We should firs th em- 222222222

 **Rika has entered the chatroom.**

 **Rika:** You want everyone in the world to learn about those twins and Mint Eye?

 **Wisteria:** It's going to happen sooner or later, you realize this?

 **Rika:** No. I'm afraid that cannot happen. Magenta can never be revealed to the world.

 **Wisteria:** They want to reveal what the Prime Minister has done - that's their primary goal right now.

 **Rika:** I'm aware. So the RFA would be able to reach its goal without making us naked to the world. It's better for the likes to get together... If that man is powerful enough to kidnap Saeyoung so easily... He'd be useful to us. I wish there's a chance to meet him in the future.

 **Wisteria:** I cannot believe you. You don't care about how evil someone is as long as they're powerful - of some kind of use to you and your games?

 **Rika:** Of course, he's useless as a parent. But I'd say he's useful in another place.

 **Wisteria:** Is Saeran okay?

 **Rika:** You keep asking that. He'll be safe... and he'll be strong... once he awakens. The inert Ray who's finally back will eventually obey me, though he wouldn't want to at first.

 **Rika:** V would have never lost Luciel if he kept him locked up right next to him.. and protected him like I do. I'm so upset that V actually lost Luciel. That boy was so useful.

 **Wisteria:**...I will never understand you. You're not Saeran's guardian. You're not someone who can guide him.

 **Rika:** In that case, who would protect this boy if I don't? You? You think you can protect him when you're nothing but a weakling? You may be cut from the same cloth as me, but you have failed to find your true potential! You're no different than V. That's the kind of person he is.

 **Rika:** V wanted to "protect" such a useful and smart boy and sent him somewhere dangerous and thus forced him to stand on his own. If he hadn't done that by now... That would have given me two useful hackers. I'm so glad I didn't let V take control over Saeran.

 **Wisteria:** If you keep doing this to him he's going to be destroyed!

 **Rika:** I'd rather have him traumatized. I'd rather have him bent and broken and bankrupt of feelings. In that case, it'll be so much easier for the both of us. Really, V... You don't know what the forsaken children really need.

 **Wisteria:** You don't either! How can you say you know what he needs?!

 **Rika:** Children brought in misery can never stand alone in the usual way. They must have someone to keep them entrapped in their bosom... under protection... throughout their lifetime of education.

 **Rika:** Protection with a sturdy fence is the best gift these children can have.

 **Wisteria:** I'm getting sick and tired of this philosophy of yours. This isn't how you protect people. This is how you destroy people.

 **Rika:** You and V... are from another world than mine. You'd never know what the definition of happiness is for us. I'm looking at Ray right now resting like an angel in my presence... And I can see how much he needs me. I should get a new towel for him before he starts sweating more.

 **Wisteria:** Please, stop hurting that boy. He doesn't deserve this.

 **Rika:** I am saving him. Your logic is ill-begotten. You will lay in discomfort for all your days in those thoughts. I must take my leave. For eternal paradise.

 **Rika has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 _SAERAN_

"You're awake." The voice that greeted him as he opened his eyes belonged to that of the woman that he called his Savior for so long.

He stared plainly at her, his eyes and nose adjusting the lights and aromas that surrounded this woman. She gazed down at him, perplexed at him. "It appears you have to wait until evening to return to work. So take a break and get replenished. There are loads of work for you to prove how strong you are. Now that we collected all the data RFA has, it's time to plot a plan. We'll save them. Rejoice... The time has finally come to prove how useful you are. Show the world how useful you are."

His body ached but he stood up. He was Ray but at the same time, there was pieces of Saeran inside of him - reminding him and guiding him of the truth. The truth of this place and the reality he had been so long denied. Together, they would stand.

Rika didn't move. "Are you Saeran... or are you temporarily Ray?" She crossed her arms over her chest, looking through him to see if she could find his identity. A muse she thought of. "You already took all those doses of elixir - maybe it wasn't working enough, that may not have been a problem with the production in that batch."

He felt warm but this side effect was nothing to him. "..."

"Don't worry. I'll never leave you. We can start all over again when the new elixir is complete." Rika smiled.

"...Where is Lila?" He inquired. Ray had not seen her in such a long time. He couldn't even imagine where she might be if Saeran wasn't around to keep her in her room. The Savior could have done anything while he was unconscious and he didn't like that idea as it popped into his head.

Something unsettling crossed her face at that name.

"I knew you would look for her. She's in her room. I know you want to see her, but there's something you must do before that. Right now, Luciel is absent from the RFA. So this is our chance," The Savior smirked. "Our chance to work on our plan to bring each member of the RFA, one by one, based on the data we collected so far. We must complete our analyses on at least two of them before the night is over. We must hurry. We don't know when Luciel will be back."

Ray clenched his fist at his side. "...What if I say no?"

"Looks like the elixir is a total failure. Your face tells me that - it's definitely in effect, however. How strange. You know the rules of this place If you don't obey, I have no choice but to make you obey. And that would mean you'll suffer." She warned him. Rika reminded him of her so-called punishments, so proclaimed paradise where peace could be found for all but it was lies. That medicine was no better then the ache in his hands from hours of typing.

"Being a hacker is also suffering." He concluded.

"You cannot survive doing only what you want to do. Even if you don't assume your role, someone else will." Ah, so that's what she would eventually do if she couldn't control him Rika's posture was rigid. She was holding herself together with her anger.

"If this place is really a paradise... then nobody would have to do that job. Isn't that right?" Ray countered.

Rika clicked her tongue. "I wish you wouldn't talk about he paradise like that, Ray... You have no idea what paradise is really like."

"This isn't paradise." Ray said.

"What was that?" She whispered the words.

Ray now understood what he was blind to before. Saeran was telling him what how this was. How these things were. Paradise wasn't a place where you controlled people with fear. It wasn't anything like that. "This isn't paradise. Paradise isn't with you... Paradise is with the person who makes me feel I'm alive. I felt alive when she hugged me. I could feel my heart beating. Even the air I breathed in and out tasted so happy... If that's not paradise, what else is?"

Having somebody in his life like Lila was a blessing. He would have never considered the truth if she hadn't tried to make him see the light.

Rika stared down at him. "You've felt that you've become someone else because of those flurries of emotion. I, too, experienced something similar when I was with V. Those emotions will one day betray you and deny you - and they'll make you lose yourself. That won't happen in this place. That's why I founded this place. Darkness is not a sin in this place." Her hands stretched outwards as she twirled around the room - her own throne room.

"We can stay the way we were born. That's who you are... Ray. You're a failure from birth. You're dark, cowardly... You are helpless, incapable of anything without someone's command. I know that. Even if you say silly things, I'll never dispose of you. I love you. This place is under progress for security and happiness of people like us." The insults came like knives - Rika berrated him, tried to tear him down like she always had when she wanted him to obey.

This time he wasn't afraid of her. This time he stood in front of her and felt like he could breathe.

"If you don't obey me, you'll never reach paradise." Rika warned him - threatened him, even.

Ray wasn't afraid. She was just one person in front of her. Somebody who was trying to control others because she had been hurt - a pitiful person. She didn't care for him because she loved him - she cared for him because he was useful. "You're not the leader of the paradise. You... You only want a machine that will do everything as you say."

Rika began to crumble.

Her eyes betrayed her as she stood there. The anger building and building until it was too much for him to keep inside. She snapped. "Ray, you're working at this place in return for a secure life! Aren't you happy? Aren't you happ that somebody needs people like us? Step outside if you dare! You think the world wants such dark-oreiented failures like us?!"

It all became clear to Ray at that moment. "...Now I can see. I can see that's what you're scared of."

Rika did a double take. "...What?" She asked.

"You're scared to step outside, aren't you?" Ray kept going. "You're scared that people will leave you. Like you said, you don't want to be abandoned by someone, like how you were abandoned by your parents."

Rika violently shook her head at his words. She wasn't listening to him. "You're speaking gibberish because the elixir isn't working!"

Ray was resolute. That's how it really was. He narrowed his eyes. "That's why you're not leaving the people who came here. You're trying to force everyone to do that something."

"Who told you that? Was it Lila?!" She demanded.

"It was Saeran." Ray said. "He told me this from within. He said you'll always be heartless to the believers. He said you'll do the same heartless thing that someone else did to you."

Rika shook her head. No, no, over and over again. "No. No! I love them. I'm doing this all for their sake. Just why would you think I'm doing soething they did to me? Who do you think you are to tell me that?!"

"Saeran told me he did something heartless, too, because he didn't want to suffer such heartless things himself. And you're hurting people because you're scared you'll get hurt, aren't you?" Ray said, never removing his eyes from her defeated eyes.

Rika hissed at him. "I'm nothing like my parents! I'll never abandon my children. I'm saving them!" She lashed out.

"That's just an excuse. You're just being cruel to people at this place, just like how your parents were cruel to you."

"No, my parents... They... He..." Rika was breathing hard. Tears began to spill from her eyes and she broke. "Who... Who are you?! You're not Ray! You're wrong! No! No! You're my child! You have to obey me! Or else, I'll expel you. Do you want to be expelled from this place?! You belong nowhere out of this place! You disobendiant child... I should have never brought... someone like you... I should have brought Saeyoung! He's smarter than you. He's better than you!"

It was a slap in the face. Her words bubbled out of her and she couldn't stop them for once in her life. It was the final nail in the coffin for Ray at that moment - his eyes opened wide to the what Rika thought once and for all.

Rika stumbled forward, appraching him but falling short and just out of arms reach. She shook her head, "No, No... Saeran, I lost myself for a little... I'll never leave you. I was just trying to scare you. So please listen to me, I'll never treat you like my mother treated me. I'm your real mother. I'm the one who loves you."

Neither Ray nor Saeran needed to face this woman again. She wasn't a good person, and she would continue to hurt others because she never would accept the reality of things. For a woman he had once respected, now all he felt was the smallest smudge of pity in his gut.

"Goodbye." He told her as he began to pave his own destiny.

"...Don't go, Saeran. Where are you going? If you leave... No one will ever accept us."

* * *

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria - man, seriously. I'm too nervous I can't even sip a glass of water. So Seven was... the illegitimate son of the Prime Minister? And... And you've been with the hacker for this whole time?

 **Wisteria:** I can't imagine what you're going through right now. Please, take a deep breath!

 **ZEN:** My throat is completely dry. Should I record this in my diary... or...?

 **ZEN:** uh seriously Seven...

 **ZEN:** Just you wait until I see you again. Why couldn't you get along with your brother?

 **Wisteria:** There was a... misunderstanding. It's hard to explain.

 **ZEN:** This is a little aggressive and shocking for a misunderstanding -

 **ZEN:** and talk about all those curses I jabbed at the hacker... I mean, there could have been a good reason between them for not being on good terms but still... this is just too... ill-emotioned.

 **Wisteria:** This hacker has been hurt by manipulation. There's a lot of ill-meaning things that have occurred - it's hard to even think about. I'm going to do my best to make things right by them.

 **Wisteria:** They deserve some peace.

 **ZEN:** Wisteria, you're such an angel. If those brothers can be a happy family again and expose what their father has been doing - it'll be a win-win for all, right? What I'm saying is... between brothers if you have no feelings for each other you'd just ignore one another. That's easier for both but it's so obvious that his brother hates him... Hatred is merely a breath away from adoration.

 **Wisteria:** I agree.

 **ZEN:** Ikr? This is funny. I'm actually lecturing a guy who got kidnapped. Seriously, I can't believe someone like that Prime Minister became a Prime Minister!

 **Wisteria:** You can never judge a book from their cover, after all.

 **ZEN:** So I was right. We should never trust politicians. I'm not a huge fanatic in politics but I've often seen him on the news. Well, he's done community service and he's a good speaker and he's really friendly with everyday citizens so I thought he was a good person. But then, he's had this huge scandal behind that face of his.

 **ZEN:** His illegitimate son was one of us.

 **Wisteria:** My heart is in pain whenever I think about them.

 **ZEN:** I feel so sad now that I think about everything. Seven must've been sad deep down inside even as he laughed and snickered with us. Ugh. Ugh. Now would you look at the profiles of our members?

 **ZEN:** We have a CEO-in-line for a giant corporate and now we have the illegitimate son of a Prime Minister.

 **Wisteria:** And Zen, you're actually...?

 **ZEN:** Maybe I might turn out to be an heir of a Britain noble household. No, wait, this isn't the time to joke around.

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Oh

 **ZEN:** T_T Jaehee

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria and Zen...

 **ZEN:** Man am I glad to see you!

 **Wisteria:** Any updates about Seven, Jaehee?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Unfortunately, no. There's nothing new... not yet.

 **Wisteria:** What about Seven's place? That would be a good place to start checking since that's the last place we heard from him - V just has to give you the intel.

 **Jaehee Kang** : We were planning for that, actually. V did provide us with the address for Luciel's residence earlier. And a few recruits of the unit are on their way there.

 **ZEN:** Is it far from here?

 **Jaehee Kang** : Yes... It is quite far.

 **ZEN** : Do you need my help there?

 **Wisteria:** You shouldn't push yourself, Zen. Stay safe for now. Better to let the experts check things out first.

 **ZEN:** Should I really sit back though? My friend is missing T_T

 **Jaehee Kang:** For now, yes, let's wait for the experts.

 **Jaehee Kang** : We don't' know what's lurking there.

 **ZEN:** Can we check like his card purchases or something?

 **Jaehee Kang** : It turned out the ID card he summited upon his admission into the RFA was actually a non-existent alias...

 **ZEN:** ...That's another blow to my mind.

 **Wisteria:** I can't even imagine what Seven has gone through.

 **ZEN:** I'll say.

 **ZEN:** I wonder if his life was actually a life for him.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I finally started to understand everything he did. All those cynical remarks about life - meaningless jokes -and investments with no actual consideration of the future.

 **ZEN:** T_T

 **Jaehee Kang:** Let's push aside our sadness for a while. To return to the report, we've deemed the hacker's assaults have completely vanished.

 **Wisteria:** That's right. He's out of commission right now - he can't do anything - he's in bed.

 **ZEN:** He's not sick, is he?

 **Jaehee Kang:** I hope he's not terribly ill.

 **ZEN:** Why did the messenger stop working just before now?

 **Jaehee Kang:** That turned out to be something that the hacker implanted beforehand. It will be amended by the end of the day.

 **ZEN:** I see.

 **Wisteria:** Do you have any news on Jumin? It's been a while.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I believe he'll be back within two or three hours. That's what the legal department of C&R said. Since Mr. Han is gone, the situation isn't most positive here.

 **Wisteria:** There, there, Jaehee.

 **Jaehee Kang:** His absence is one thing. But now we're starting to see audits from several businesses that we were engaged in connection with the government.

 **ZEN: HUH?**

 **ZEN:** Is that a bad thing?

 **Jaehee Kang:** We have nothing to hide.

 **Wisteria:** The timing is this is very suspicious, don't you think?

 **ZEN:** Is this audit supposed to happen regularly?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Not this one. There happen to be at least dozens of different audits. The problem is that all of our duties are basically forced on a hold because of audits. So the company is really running on its last legs.

 **ZEN:** Seriously?! You guys have done nothing wrong!

 **Jaehee Kang:** It's probably related to... the fact that Luciel's father is the Prime Minister.

 **ZEN:** Can't he tell his business from his personal life?!

 **Wisteria:** He kidnapped his own son. If he had the gall to do that already - then he's got no morals stopping him from doing what he is to C&R. This guy is no joke. He's nothing but serious.

 **ZEN:** I feel the fires of justice roaring waiting to be unleashed. What should I do?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Zen...

 **ZEN:** Should I go out there and wave a picket or something?

 **Wisteria:** I admire your tenacity and passion but Zen -

 **Jaehee Kang:** Please remain calm for now. Our enemy is powerful. We would have some chance only if we prepare ourselves calmly and sensibly to make the maximum response.

 **ZEN:** But... You need Jumin Han for that.

 **Jaehee Kang:** We'll need your assistance one day, I'm sure. For now, please save your energy.

 **ZEN:** Got it. I will for now. Seven... I can't even go save him. This is so frustrating. I hope he'll be alright.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Oh. The legal department just contacted me again. I should go listen to what they have to say.

 **ZEN:** Sure, run along!

 **Wisteria:** Cheer up!

 **Jaehee Kang:** Thank you!"

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Man, this is so nuts. Oh, wait, that reminds me.

 **Wisteria:** Yes?

 **ZEN:** I forgot to ask you - Are you sure you're really okay? I mean. You're stuck at that place.

 **Wisteria:** I'm... alright. I'm in better shape than most others. My main concern right now is Seven and... his brother. That's - it's all I can think about.

 **ZEN:** Same here. If his brother is so sick that he can't even do hacking now... Now I'm worried for a guy that I've never even met. Seven, I'm not sure where he is or what he's doing but I know him. He'll make it out somehow, won't he? He used to joke every time that he barely managed to escape death.

 **Wisteria:** I'm sure of his ability to keep himself safe. I want to believe he'll be okay out there.

 **ZEN:** He must be safe. I'm sure he can make it out alive. He'll get himself out and drop by the messenger like always to show off about it and... I'm positive... um...

 **ZEN:** I think I need to clear my head. I might as well go take a shower. Wisteria, you do know you have to stay in the best shape, right?

 **Wisteria:** Of course. I'm doing my best. I'll try to keep a positive head. I hope you do the same, Zen. Run along.

 **ZEN:** Positivity matters. I'll go now, sorry for leaving you right now. Please take care of... Seven's brother.

* * *

 _RIKA_

She sat there on the ground with her face in her hands. What would become of paradise now? She needed that boy, that very stupid boy, she needed him to complete paradise. These tears were spilling from her eyes and she couldn't get them to stop.

She was so very angry and confused and most of all disappointed.

How dare that child turn against her like he had? He had turned against her because of that girl and now he wouldn't be coming back. Rika had gotten rid of V, she thought she had everything with Saeran - she could transform the RFA and bring them to join her family in paradise but it was ruined!

It was ruined! Who was he to say she was like that woman?! She was nothing like her. Nothing like her at all. Rika wasn't like that. These voices were haunting her, teasing her, betraying her, telling her she was like that woman no matter how hard she struggled against them. It was driving her mad.

"Why are you crying?" A voice called out to her in her despair, it was masculine and deep. "Is something the matter?"

"I am not my mother." Rika hissed.

"Of course you not like your mother," The voice continued. It was comforting. Warm. It reminded her of her sun, if only less brighter than it had been before. "You've done everything here for the sake of others. You're very selfless, dear. That woman was selfish. You are everything she was not."

Rika sat there on the ground thinking about that. This voice, this man was right. He was right! She clenched her nails into the pad of her hand and it revitalized her core. She could feel her pain again, no longer numb to those voices. "He told me I'm lashing out because my parents abandoned me - because the Kim family abused me. But you never abandoned me, you never left me for dead, you wanted me- you wanted me, didn't you? Saeran doesn't know that. He doesn't understand me at all - He's just an airhead. That fool."

Arms wrapped around her figure. They were warm, comforting, and even soft. "There, there. Don't you cry over an disobedient boy who isn't worthy to see you as you are for the world," Claude coaxed. "This is your paradise. A place for all the unwanted in the world. For people who have suffered great pains like you, pains you can use."

"Children are difficult. It takes time to make them understand what's good for them. You built this place all by yourself. I don't even have to lend a hand. That's power, my daughter, true power." He reminded her of her reality. Her control, her need to keep everything the way it was. "Don't turn your head when one weed maked you fool like a fool. Control yourself. Find your demons and turn them to your bidding."

"You're right." Rika said. What had she been thinking? Defeat was not eminent. Her last piece was not yet played. She would use this to her advantage. Paradise could grow and she could destroy the light. "He just caught me off guard with nonsense he picked up somewhere. He and Ray, both fools without me. I am true power in the dark. I'm the savior for all my children. I won't abandon them like she abandoned me."

Rika stood up and brushed herself off. This was no time to move. This was time for action and control. "Saeran has been compromised. I'm afraid I can't trust him with the task I need to be done, and now that you're feeling better. How are the plans for the operation expedition? We'll be taking the trip very soon."

Claude smiled. It waa wide and becoming of him. "In a matter of days everything will be prepared for you. It's almost perfect down to the letter. Under the cover of the night, three days time. We move."

Rika was pleased with this news. She also smiled wide. The time was neigh; Paradise would spread beyond these borders. "I expect you to have everything prepared within due time."

"Of course, my savior."


	27. Chapter 27

TWENTY-TWO

"Escape Initiative."

* * *

 _SAERAN_

Ray staggered to his feet as he held himself up from falling into the ground. His breath heavy and nausea swirling in the pits of his stomach despite not having anything for a good day and a half.

"...Why now," He clenched his eyes shut.

The backlash from confronting the Savior, no, Rika, had taken its toll on Ray.

This was what he needed to do. He needed to fight it but the months and months of conditioning and torture weren't going to leave him in a day - in a moment - in a second - just because he wanted it didn't mean he could turn off the thoughts and pains.

Not useless. He reminded himself. _I'm not useless. Lila said I'm not useless._

He was feeling so haphazardly thrown together like a puzzle that was missing a few pieces. The last piece of fruit in the bowl that was not as appetizing as it once had been but was all that was left. Control had been given to him by Saeran, at last. Something swept up inside of his other half, his darker half, and even if they didn't share eye to eye perspectives they could both agree on something. There was only a sole purpose that Ray had on his mind and that was: He had to find out where Lila was.

Round and round he walked but there were no believers in sight.

Many of them must have been preparing for the ceremony that Rika had mentioned. It would be the one she had been planning on using with Lila. Surely, she would still be locked tight in her room. They wouldn't have tossed her into the basement so soon with her status.

She was easier kept where she was.

Ray made his way to the stairwell but upon hearing a set of footsteps he darted behind a pillar. He held his breath.

The footsteps came closer and than they grew faint for a brief moment. The ghost of the robes that passed right by his feet made his stomach sink. That man again, he was supposed to be subdued somewhere in the building from the elixir; the effects shouldn't have worn off yet.

"You're planning to run, aren't you? " Claude calls back at him, and Ray's body stiffened at the sound. "Oh don't act so surprised, Saeran... No, you're definitely Ray. I figured you would be trouble, but I would never have guessed you would actually turn against the Savior in favor of her own little sister."

Something connected in Ray's brain at that moment.

Claude took that as a sign, "Of course, I forgot to mention that little fact, haven't I? I knew the moment we dangled her in front of you it would make you easier to break, a beautiful show for the Savior to watch unfold even if she hasn't yet realized. If only you had been able to bend her to our will, Ray, you would have had paradise, a family, and even the girl - devotion. But you had to pick the wrong will."

"It's a shame that my daughters can't get along but I should have known they would play tug of war with a boy like you. Poor sisters divided by their views of the world, no different than your own family, huh?"

Sisters.

Something he had never thought about was starting to come to light. How Claude had been able to grace up the ranks in Rika's organization and how easily he had been able to yield so much control behind her, why he was always a shadowed king behind the queen of darkness, and why Ray had been handed a photograph with Lila and her sister Lucy.

Why he had never noticed the similarity was beyond him. The puzzle pieces that made up Lila were beginning to come together and he now had more questions about everything that had transpired. There was so much he didn't know - so much information and a whole world across a mythical border - but this was hard to swallow.

This whole time they had been playing him and her for toys.

His aching brain wasn't ready for this. He wasn't ready for everything. He needed to focus now. Claude was trying to rile him up - this was what he always had done, and now he needed to hold himself together. Saeran wouldn't take control again forcibly, not after how he felt, but there was a very thin line he had to walk to keep himself above the cracks.

A part of him wanted to lash out and another part of him wanted to hide. Ray wasn't one for that. Her family was just as a mess as the one that he had. They both needed to get out and away from their ghosts. For himself, for Lila, he needed to stay calm and rational. As long as they had each other it would be alright. Those were her words to him.

Claude waited for a reaction but he didn't grab anything. He only blew out a little sigh and clicked his heel against the ground. "Pity. I thought I could break you with that information. Fools, the both of you. Flee if you think you can, I won't stop you from trying to escape Magenta - for neither of you will ever survive beyond these walls without us."

With an insidious laugh escaping him and his words out in the open, he began to leave to where the Savior was. Claude was gone when Ray peeked around the corner once the footsteps were gone. Ray raised a hand to his chest and grimaced. "Now of all times, why?"

He noted a tall man heading up the stairwell to her room when footsteps returned to the hall.

They were coming for her... there was much time to act and he needed to get to her before it was too late. He wasn't as confident or brave as Saeran was, but he wouldn't go down without doing everything he could to protect her. He dragged her into this world and he was going to make amends. "There's no way I'm letting anyone harm my princess."

* * *

My emotions had poured out of me and now I just felt numb.

Tired.

Feeling worn out knowing everything was on the line right now.

I did my best to remove the bindings left on my wrists until they snapped into nothing, discarded on the ground. I rubbed the aching skin until the burn subsided. This wasn't the worst pain I had ever experienced, I reminded myself. There was always worse circumstance than this. It wasn't alright and that was okay. At least I had allowed myself the moment to let it out.

My phone beeped from across the room.

I narrowed my eyes through and caught sight of the little scrawl barely. My legs took me forward to the device to check it out, hoping it wasn't something with that woman again.

The screen said a chat room had opened and - Jumin was in the chatroom. "Jumin? Oh, God. He finally out of the interrogation with the prosecution. He's going to know all that's gone on," I fumbled with the device and logged in as fast as I could manage despite the ache.

 **Jumin Han has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jumin Han:** Hello.

 **Wisteria:** Jumin, you're finally back! Thank goodness.

 **Jumin Han:** Yes. I have returned.

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han! You're back. I've never been so happy to see you.

 **Jumin Han:** I assume you didn't like seeing me until now.

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's not true.

 **Wisteria:** It's just good that you're back. A lot has gone on while you were absent and it's not something that can be summarized.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Apologies I couldn't escort you back. Things have been out of control here...

 **Jumin Han:** Yoosung were there to greet me.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Oh.

 **Jumin Han:** And apparently, he was there to fill me in on the shocking revelation of the RFA. But the thing is, why did he bring me this can of beer?

 **Wisteria:** Oh. Well, there's definitely a loaded reason for that but uh - maybe that was just a gift to say, hey don't go back there anytime soon.

 **Jumin Han:** I wasn't gone for long. I was merely cooperating with investigations for a day.

 **Jaehee Kang:** You spent a whole day at the prosecution service.

 **Jumin Han:** I wanted to see for myself what it was like to be in there.

 **Wisteria: ...**

 **Jaehee Kang: ...**

 **Wisteria:** You're back up to speed now, though, about Seven and his past...?

 **Jumin Han:** I found that out after some time. No one at the prosecution service ever told me what took place. I learned as soon as I returned.

 **Jaehee Kang:** What did you do all day during the interview?

 **Jumin Han:** Observing and (Image)

 **Jahee Kang:** Goodness.

 **Jumin Han:** I complete it.

 **Wisteria:** That's impressive - great stitching. Gosh, I'm jealous of the... Though - now isn't the time to show off how crafty you are, Jumin.

 **Jumin Han:** That is far from my intention - I'm merely presenting the result of my activity.

 **Jaehee Kang: ...** Are you going to hang it in your room?

 **Jumin Han:** No. I will hang it in my office.

 **Jaehee Kang:** No pleas D... Wait, sir. Stitching isn't the issue right now.

 **Jumin Han:** I'm aware. I was merely answering the question.

 **Jaehee Kang:** We need your judgment more than ever. Should we disclose the Prime Minister's secrets to the public and media and fight against him?

 **Jumin Han:** Before you hear my opinion, I'd like to hear yours, Wisteria.

 **Wisteria:** We need to take action - to properly gain the upper hand we need an effective strike, with minimal to no mistakes.

 **Jumin Han:** This is a tricky issue. If you're asking about right and wrong, I would say that we should fight him. But, our enemy has the upper hand now. There is no guarantee that justice shall be done.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Cruel is the reality.

 **Jumin Han:** I would say. My father would want to settle this without further loss. Through a deal.

 **Jaehee Kang:** A deal?

 **Wisteria:** You mean to say...

 **Jumin Han:** Yes. Think about it. If the Prime Minister already has Luciel - why do you think he'll continue to harass C&R?

 **Wisteria:** Because he wants his hands on the hacker too.

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's possible!

 **Jumin Han:** For now, we should make the hacker one of us.

 **Jaehee Kang: Pardon?**

 **Wisteria:**...I can do something about that. But, we have to be careful. We shouldn't talk much on the messenger itself.

 **Jumin Han:** I am well-aware our messenger is being monitored.

 **Jaehee Kang: If the hacker isn't online on the other side of the network, it'd be more than easy for us to cut off the invading connection.**

 **Jumin Han: Before that, we must secure Wisteria and the hacker's safety.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** We should... and once they're safe - after that. What are we going to do?

 **Jumin Han:** We should get started again after gaining information from the hacker. I doubt there's anyone else but him who is actually capable of tracking Luciel's whereabouts.

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're right. There was no denying he was more talented then Luciel.

 **Wisteria:** I wish he wouldn't have to be a hacker anymore, but, you're both right. He's probably the only one out there that could make a difference here. I agree with you Jumin.

 **Jumin Han:** I believe this is the best strategy. Unless you want me to offer a deal to the Prime Minister while trying to make myself sound intimidating. In my point of view, the key to this battle lies with the hacker.

 **Jaehee Kang:** If you say so... we should focus on making him one of us.

 **Jumin Han:** Right you are.

 **Wisteria:** I'll do my best to talk to him. I'm sure he'll see how important this is after I explain it to him.

 **Jumin Han:** It seems you're the only one we can count on as of now, Wisteria.

 **Jaehee Kang:** For now.

 **Jumin Han:** I assume it'd be difficult compared to coordinating party guests but please, very soon... I will try to contact the hacker through the intelligence unit, Wisteria.

 **Jumin Han:** Could you ask him to pick up whenever he can?

 **Wisteria:** I will let him know.

 **Jumin Han:** Thank you. Once we reach him, I'll talk to him in person.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria, when do you think the hacker will be back? Could you at least take a guess?

 **Wisteria:** I'm afraid I can't guarantee when. Things haven't been going well over here among other issues. But, if anything changes - anything at all - the moment I know anything I'll keep you posted.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Understood.

 **Jumin Han:** As for us, from now on, we'll start contacting him about his brother's kidnapping. Based on your assumption that you'll perform your duties well, Wisteria. Let us hope that he'll take the offer... if his love for his brother hasn't completely vanished.

 **Wisteria:** I'm sure he'll... take it.

 **Jumin Han:** I hope so.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I didn't think I would ever get to see you relying on your emotions as a strategy. And now I get the feeling that this truly is our last resort.

 **Jumin Han:** I could say the same now that I'm gazing at the building in which I was interrogated in. I'll be back in my office, albeit late.

 **Wisteria:** Emotions can be just as strong as anything else.

 **Jumin Han: Yes.** That's not what my father's autobiography tells me but right now I'll let my intuition guide me.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Mr. Han... We need you back now. In fact, we have a lot of things we require your help with.

 **Jumin Han:** It'll get late, so allow me to take Elizabeth the 3rd with me.

 **Jaehee Kang: ...**

 **Jumin Han:** I'll see you at the office.

 **Jumin Han:** Wisteria, please talk to the hacker for us.

 **Wisteria:** You can count on me. I'll do my best **.**

 **Jumin Han:** I appreciate that. Now excuse me.

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** He's coming back. I feel like we finally have someone to rely on. However, our last resort is appealing to the hacker's love of his brother...? He's been attacking us so long. Do you think his hatred is gone for us in an instant?

 **Wisteria:** His hatred... It's just a misunderstanding. He's just been dealt a bad hand in life. He's naturally a good person inside. I know it. I just... I know it.

 **Jaehee Kang:** If you say so. I'll be counting on that. For now, let's do our best. I should hurry and prepare the documents for Mr. Han.

 **Wisteria:** Good luck to both of us!

 **Jaehee Kang:** I pray for your luck with all of my heart. Excuse me.

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

* * *

I was left staring at my phone screen. They wanted me to talk to Saeran and convince him to help save Seven. Was that even possible? The last we talked he only spoke of letting himself go, letting Ray take the control, us getting out of this place. We couldn't get out of this place, much less try to help the RFA. But I promised. I promised them I would try.

I had made it this far. I couldn't give up.

There was no way to know what he would be like when he awoke from the elixir but I wasn't going to sit here and wait for it to happen. If I sat here much longer they would take me away. Rika was already angry. She was planning on throwing me to the dogs and her believers. I couldn't wait any longer.

There had to be some way out of this room. I stashed my things together into my bag - the few items I had left with me that had come into the world with me - and I moved to feel the window.

Locked and sealed tight.

My hair came undone from the tie and pins with one tug. If I could just get out of here and find him. There was a lock on it that required some jerry-rigging with a bobby pin but it eventually cracked. The seal came undone after some minor pulling - there it was.

The breeze against my skin was the most reinvigorating sensation I had experienced in my life.

So cool - so warm.

I peered down below at the ground. Nobody in sight but the height made mg stomach drop. The ground was two floors down. I could makeshift something to get down but it wouldn't be easy. The second option was risking the fall and the bones in my legs on impact. The first idea was the better one. Right.

I cursed. "The sheets are sturdy enough - but it's going to take some time."

There was a heavy knock.

Somebody was at the door all of a sudden and my plans were floundering. God, what or who was waiting on the other end of that. The sinking feeling was coming to haunt me again. The window shut tight. I hurriedly closed the heavy curtains over the window pane and stood there in the middle of the room as the door burst open to reveal a believer.

His gaze was dark and he began to approach me. Another mindless drone in the fodder for her paradise. "Special missionary Lila, the savior has ordered you to reside in the basement until your cleansing ceremony; So I need you to..."

All of a sudden the lights shattered overhead and the room was enveloped in darkness. I couldn't see in front of me. This wasn't just the room part of the hallways were dark as well. Nobody moved and I held my breath. The believer was just as confused as I was, "What did the lights go out so suddenly?! What is this?!"

A whisper came from my right. "Lila, grab onto my arm."

I knew that voice. I knew that sound like the back of my hand. My hope had returned for me. "...Saeran?"

There was a soft hum in response. It was him. I wasn't about to argue with his idea, I took his hand in the darkness and trusted him with all of my very being as he spoke up once again. "We're getting out of here. Trust me. Just grab onto my arm, close your eyes, and count to three. One, two... three!"

* * *

From that moment we were ducking in and out of hallways until we reached the ground floor. He had to get back to his room before they realized where he was or where I went. He needed to trip their system long enough that so we could escape. There were little to no people left in the halls - were they all waiting for the cleansing ceremony that Rika had boasted about?

My heart was beating in my ears. I'm sure he felt the same. They could find us at any moment. Footsteps collided with the ground and we ducked into a closet before they could spot us. Neither of us breathed until the threat had passed and whomever it was had left this hallway.

"Wait here," He breathed in a hushed tone. "I need to get in and get out. You'll be safer if you're out of sight."

I wasn't going to argue with reason.

Ten minutes passed and I didn't move a muscle. My phone began to buzz in my hand and I almost dropped it in surprise. I hadn't heard anyone but I was on edge. I lifted it to my ear and covered my mouth. "Hello?"

"Hey. It's me. I got a little worried that I had to leave you there in the closet, to be separated when we're finally back together. I'm sorry. I'll hurry up and tamper with these surveillance cameras. There are no believers nearby, right?"

I let out a breath I had been holding. "I haven't heard any. It's quiet."

He breathed a sigh of relief as well. He was just as twisted up as I was right now. Ray hummed, "I'll give you a heads up when someone approaches nearby you... I think they're all busy cleaning up the cleansing ceremony right now. We'll have to get out of here before they rush out of the basement. Wait just a little longer." Ray was typing in the background. How he and Seven could ever talk and focus was beyond me.

I grimaced.

That could be any time now if they picked up on us. Magenta was in the middle of the forest, separated from the city and the real population for miles and miles. I could recall how long the car ride had taken. There was no telling how long that might take on foot alone. "Ray - Do you have a place in mind when we get out of here? We can only get so far on foot together."

"Yes," He said. "There's a spot I checked into before. It's sufficiently far from here and... well, when I looked through the satellite images, it looked like a safe cabin to hide out in for the time being until they give up their search. We're going to have to run there, so, try to be strong. If you get tired, I'll carry you myself."

He had really thought this through much more than I had. The only plan that I had was getting as far as we could out of this place even if that meant we had to stumble through the forest for a while. It was half-assed, and I was relieved Ray knew better and thought ahead This was really happening. We were going to get out of this place out scathed if he could manage to trip their systems.

I had faith in him.

"...Right. I saw something on the messenger... The RFA... I mean, my brother. He's missing, I saw in their logs. May I ask you what that's about?"

I hesitated for a moment and then told him the truth. "It's... It's the Prime Minister... your father has taken him."

Ray sighed. It was a tired sound. "I predicted this would happen, but for this to take place now... it feels like the number of things for me think and to worry about has doubled for me... So, can I ask what the plan that the RFA has? I'm sure they're coordinating something right now knowing them. What are they coming up with? A plan to save Seven?"

"They..." I trailed off, my voice died down in a whisper. We needed to get out this place and that was all I could focus on but I had promised them. I had promised Jaehee and Jumin that I would ask him. "They were hoping that you would help them."

Ray was quiet.

I could feel him frowning through the phone. "I feel so complicated. It hasn't been long since I cleared my head and there's... there's a lot I haven't resolved about my brother and this hatred I've had for so long. I need more time. If what Rika said was all lies... it's the same as there's no reason for me to hate my brother. If I... I need some time to think about that. I need to wash away all that hatred and rage I have for him."

That didn't answer the question.

Ray might decide that he didn't want to help them... especially after all that he had gone through and had to deal with when it came to the RFA and his brother. The thought of his brother still made him sick to his stomach. He surely wouldn't want to deal with that now.

My mind was racing at a million miles an hour. I wanted him to be safe. If safe meant that we had to... No, this isn't the time.

We needed to get out of this place.

"I'll respect whatever you decide," I told him.

"Yes. Thank you for that. I feel like I can really leave this place now with you trusting me like this." Ray trailed off, the sounds of his fingers pressed against the keys began to increase. "So - I'm going to do my best to loop their feeds long enough to get us out. I want to sit down with you properly after escaping. If I type this last row... my calculations should be right, the cameras... Oh, it works! I'm done with the cameras. I think it's time to move now. Sorry to make you wait. I'm coming back to you. See you soon."

* * *

These winding hallways went on forever but Ray knew the way. We ran and ran until we were outside and well away from the exit, just stopping briefly when we made it to the edge of the gardens to catch our breath. Saeran looked behind us - there was nobody in sight just yet - they weren't aware of the situation yet and hadn't noticed the trick he had administered into the security system.

He turned back to look at me, the expression on his face hard to read. "They'll be gaining on us soon so we can't rest long. Lila, I'm just so glad you're safe." Saeran said.

He took hold of my hands.

I was staring into his eyes but I couldn't identify whom I was really speaking with. I held my breath for a moment before I plunged into the question. "Ray, are you really Ray... or are you Saeran right now?"

The calmness on his face was enough to quell any worries. Saeran slowly nodded in response. "Yes, and... Saeran is also inside of me. Because both Ray and Saeran... want you to be happy. I know we've put you through a lot but... I promise you won't need to worry, Lila. You won't get to feel any malice any more." He murmured.

"I'm Ray, but at the same time, I feel bits and pieces of Saeran inside. It's... hard to say who I am and who I'm not. The lines are so blurred right now... from the remnants of the elixir."

"One day you'll be whole, once you're free of your chains," I murmured. "That's what Saeran said."

Ray slowly nodded his head as the memory was accessed. "We're... two sides of the same coin. I just hope you'll... stick with us until we are one someday."

"I wouldn't leave even if that weren't the case, Ray," I whispered. "You're... You.. both mean so much..."

Looking at him now - He looked about as put-together as I did. His shirt unpressed and slacks a little crumpled from the last few nights. His skin was as pale as it had ever been and while he looked like he hadn't rested in months on the outside - he looked strangely refreshed for the first time.

In comparison to my tired eyes, countless battle bruises and scars, and messy undone hair - he looked like a saint in my eyes.

"I..." I still couldn't help but ask, "Are you okay?" I said.

"I should be asking you that," Ray countered.

He was capable of cocking a home at a time like this. Seven was definitely his twin brother. I don't know why but I laughed, a breathless laugh that died down soon after it bubbled to the surface. It had been so long since I had felt like I was walking on air, careless, no worries. "I'm so happy to see you again. I didn't think it would be possible for a while but you came back."

"Yes, I'm... back."

Ray was quiet at that last line. Sure, he had returned to retrieve me from the ceremony but so much had gone on since we met. "Lila, though I've come back for you... I know it'd be difficult for you to forgive everything that I've done to you. I have no idea I had thousands of wounds inside of me. I thought I couldn't fall for you any deeper. But now, I know. I know my wounds were so deep, deep enough to cloud my feelings for you and leave such scars on you."

He was looking at my battered form. I could feel his eyes counting the marks. His fingers brushing against the aching skin on my wrist.

While these wounds stung now, they would gradually fade away. Some of these weren't even his fault. I shook my head. "I already forgave you for that. I'm not upset about any of that anymore. I understand now - what you've gone through and why you were hurting. I'm just so happy you're alright."

"Thank you, Lila. You're my greatest salvation of life. I want you to know that. You think of me first even now after everything we've gone through. Before I met you... I was always hiding, I felt like my fears, my monster inside of me would take over - but that monster was a chain someone forced upon me. People always used to tell me... that I'm stupid and weak... that's why I'm useless... Both my mother and savior told me that... in order to control me. And they treated me like a tool. They made me think that I'm useless if I don't at least serve as a tool." He trailed off, broken.

The words cracking as he managed to breathe them to life in front of us. That word, useless, it ached in his chest. His eyes shut tight, and then he continued. "That's why I had to be strong. I had to fight desperately for my life to prove that I'm useful. If people didn't tell me that I was useful, all that was left for me was loneliness, despair, and this suffocating self-hatred."

"But, Ray..." I began to say but he shook his head before I could say any more about that.

He continued, "But, when you chose me... I felt something change inside of me. Whenever you smiled, I felt proud of myself for making you smile. Those moments - I felt like I could be me and not a tool. I've never felt anything like that before. It was as if... I could feel my emotions breathing and taking flight by my will. You always reached out to me in the darkness,"

"When you were happy, your happiness chased away my monster, my despair, my self-hatred. And I came to wish I could make you happy wherever you are... and I want to be happy with you. That was something my heart naturally came to wish, nobody ever forced that on me. Sometimes I got scared that I wouldn't be able to make you happy enough. But that was a sweet fear," He admitted, looking over at the patchwork of flowers that surrounded us.

"It was more exciting and heart-beating than being used and constantly having to prove my usefulness. If it is okay for a coward like me to like you... If it is okay for me to stay with you and protect you... Please let me be the person I want to be, for the first time in my life. Please choose me as the person who'll make you happy. My parents cannot control my life... My savior cannot control my life anymore... Because, I'm nobody's tool."

He was resolute as he gazed down into my eyes and said, "I'm a person who wants to make you happy."

I buried my face in his chest. The ugly tears that now escaped me were too strong to control. He had finally overcome so much on his own and he was standing here - really standing here with me.

We were together, at last. "I'm not leaving your side from now on. You finally found yourself after all this time and... and you did that all by yourself. You're stronger than you thought. You were never a tool, not Ray or Saeran." It was all that emotion and fear that I had bundled up inside of me was coming out again like it had earlier in the day but harder.

Ray held himself together much better than I did.

His hand snaked against my hair. His fingers brushing against the top of my head in a comforting manner as he did. "No, I'm not and... I don't want to be like that anymore... I knew it. This is why the elixir doesn't work on me anymore. I don't need that anymore to be me. Because the real salvation of my life is you."

Neither of us moved for a long time. Ray reluctantly parted ways with me after that pause. "I really wish we could stay like this for longer, but they're going to start looking for us. Let's get out of here."

"Wait," I lifted my head and he met my gaze, "Have you... thought about the..."

"Um, wait. Let's talk about that after we make it out of here, okay?"

* * *

 _SAERAN_

The only thing that was on his mind at that moment was getting the hell out of Magenta.

He choked down the bile that rose from his throat from it. For so long he had thought this to be paradise but his eyes had opened and begun to see the world differently - see the opportunities it had and what he was tricked into believing. There was a world at his fingertips - there was a whole other dimension out there with people just as mysterious and bold as Lila.

And yet, as they darted through the foliage and trees it kept haunting him. What if the world really wasn't made for somebody as broken and twisted as he was? What if they made it out of here for good and he couldn't cut it? What if the savior... Rika, had a small point. The acid rose again from his stomach.

Focus.

He forced himself to look only ahead and not behind them. For a long time, Ray had been a coward and unable to do anything without somebody making him. But, Saeran was standing behind him now - they were altogether focused on the same goal as of that moment: freedom.

A voice called out from behind them. "I think they went this way! The Savior wants them captured alive. C'mon, before they get too far."

Lila's heart stopped and as did his.

Believers were hot on their tale now. They could hear the shouts and screams along with heavy footsteps against the forest floor and they could only zigzag through trees for so long - their cover would be blown sooner or later if they couldn't think on their feet. He looked around for something for cover.

He noticed something.

"Get down," He warned her and they slumped in a bush. He held her close as they hid behind the thicket, her hands covered her mouth to stiffen her panting noise. The footsteps grew closer and so did their shared heartrates as the believers drew closer and closer until they had a group almost right on top of him.

"Did you see them?"

"I thought I saw Mr. Saeran come this direction but I must be mistaken. They must have taken the other path along the mountain."

"Possible. That one does lead to the freeway."

"Shoot a message to the other party, we'll head down towards the road while they continue the hills."

Neither Lila nor Ray moved a muscle until the footsteps were out of range. They were safe.

"Are you alright?" He had to ask her, "You're not scared, are you?"

Lila was strong but even she had limits. She was so worn out and he knew it. Her rosy cheeks had not lost their luster but the lines underneath her eyes were beginning to rival his own. Her hair shaped around her face in a way he found he liked much more than when she had it tucked up and tidy. She was hardly more physically fit than he was for that matter.

She looked at him, eyes brimming with confidence. It was obvious she was worried but she looked at him with all of her heart. They could do this. "I'm fine, we have to keep it together. I can keep going," Lila told him with a nod. "Let's keep going, Ray, we can't stay still forever."

"Right."

* * *

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the messenger.**

 **Wisteria has entered the messenger.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria. We're continuously messaging each other but we haven't received any reply yet.

 **Wisteria:** This isn't the bes t ti me. Give us a lit t le lon g er

 **Jaehee Kang:** Oh. We're standing by.

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** V! Perfect timing!

 **V:** Wisteria, are you safe right now?

 **Wisteria:** We're o n the m ove rig ht n ow, but we're okay.

 **V:** I'm so glad you're safe.

 **Jaehee Kang:** But V, are you alright? As far as I remember, you suddenly lost connection the other day...

 **V:** I'm fine. You don't have to worry about me. I'm glad Jumin is safe.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Same here. Although he was meant to be back safe and sound. As far as I'm concerned he stayed the service voluntarily and made response against his investigators in preparation for every possible case 'very thoroughly'.

 **Wisteria: That's like Jumin Han for you.**

 **V:** I wouldn't expect anything else from him. I am positive he must have shocked the wits out of the investigators.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I believe they won't summon him anymore. The investigators even praised him that no one has been as cooperative as he was.

 **V:** I'm so glad both Jumin and Hyun returned safely. Now all that is left is to have Luciel and his brother, and Wisteria back safely.

 **Wisteria:** It's goi ng to wor k out in the en d.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Oh right, Wisteria - I was hoping if you could give us information on his brother. You might be able to provide us with something useful later on as we communicate with him.

 **Wisteria:** He's with me right n ow. Is there anything, in particular, you want to know?

 **Jaehee Kang:** If you could tell us his name for a start, that would be a great help.

 **Wisteria:** It's Saeran. Saeran Choi.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I see...

 **Jaehee Kang:** But why did Saeran come to hate Luciel? If we know why it might help us more when we talk to him.

 **Wisteria:** It's a long story - manipulation and misunderstandings. Brainwashing in lamens terms.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Brainwashing...?

 **V:** Allow me to explain. I could not protect him. He was under my care but he got... brainwashed when my wariness allowed distraction. He was tricked into believing that his brother was a heartless person who abandoned him.

 **V:** When Saeran and Luciel had to part ways, my topmost priority was to free them from their father's pursuit... I couldn't care less for everything else. And I believe hatred against Luciel - rage against me were apart of this... Though I can just... assume since I wasn't there to witness what happened to him.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Just who could have done something... so atrocious...?

 **V: ...**

 **Wisteria: ...** Not yet, V?

 **V:** No. I'm sorry I cannot tell you as of now.

 **Jaehee Kang:** No, it's fine. It's better for the victim to take that matter to his hands. He could suffer a new trauma if a third-party person interferes... but thank you. For now, getting in contact with him is what matters. I appreciate your information.

 **V:** Jaehee, once you get into contact with Saeran could you please relay to him the files I sent you now?

 **Wisteria:** A re those what I t hink they a re?

 **V:** They're files on the Prime Minister that Luciel additionally collected to complete the puzzles of the Prime Minister's past based on the evidence that I provided him. He sent those to me right before he got kidnapped. They're the evidence... of the Prime Minister's past crimes and scandals. You can actually make a documentary out of them. Of course, it includes the truth about his sons.

 **Wisteria:** And when those get out -

 **V:** Once they are revealed... his fate as a politician might as well be sealed.

 **Jaehee Kang: My Goodness...**

 **V:** However, if we fail to make the entire world know about this before the Prime Minister and his men get to hear what we've done, a horrible retribution will befall those twins and their fate depends on how we'll respond to this. The whole country will be flipped upside down once to check for those facts and those boys... will be under the spotlight from every corner of South Korea. Their lives might never be the same once they're unleashed. So, I'll leave to Saeran.

 **V:** For him to decide what to do with those files.

 **Jaehee Kang:** This is unbelievable... but if those files exist and we can access them... we might be able to find a way to help with Mr. Han.

 **V:** You're welcome to look at the contents but I suggest that you don't investigate them. If they realize what is going on, the C&R will be unable to avoid threats.

 **Jaehee Kang;** Understood. I had no idea you had such a weight of secrets upon you.

 **V:** I consider it as the weight of karma.

 **Wisteria:** No more feeling guilty, okay? Let's focus on the issues at han d.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, I agree. From now on, please don't say something like that. I don't believe you wanted all of this to happen.

 **V:** My appreciations. To both of you.

 **Jaehee Kang:** So then, I'll try contacting him again based on what you gave me.

 **Wisteria:** Once we reach someplace safe, and once Saeran is ready. I'll ask him to reply.

 **V:** My best wishes in communication.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Wisteria, you're our key. I cannot thank you enough. I must leave. I'll talk to you again.

 **V:** Sure thing.

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

 **V:** Wisteria, please tell Saeran that he's the only one right now who can help Luciel.

 **Wisteria:** I know. I'll tell him.

 **V: Yes.** I am so glad

 **V:** I can talk to you like this.

 **V:** Lila, thank you so much for joining the RFA. I am well aware that you've suffered and toiled so much in between... your wisdom and your persistence have truly touched my heart. Please from here on, please stay with Saeran. Please be his light. I'm counting on you.

 **V:** I trust you more than I trust her. Please remember that.

 **Wisteria:**...Understood. Please take care of yourself in the meantime.

 **V:** Sure thing.

 **V:** And... Lila, Saeran. I hope tonight will be a warm night.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Finally they've escaped from Mint Eye and things seem to be looking up for them but things aren't always they seem. I'm so tired and lethargic. It took longer to put this together than I wanted.


	28. Chapter 28

TWENTY-THREE

"It took me by Surprise."

* * *

 _SAERAN_

It took a while to reach the cabin in the woods.

The sun had already set in the skyline and moon was high above us by the time they stumbled through its doors and caught their breath. They had been running for so long time didn't register anymore just the sheer weight of their actions. There had been a few close calls on their way since Mint Eye had the upper hand with cars and numbers; But against all odds, He and Lila managed to escape from Mint Eye without any more injuries than they had already amassed.

Ray peaked out the window and made sure there wasn't any lights or people in the distance. He sighed in relief, his hand pressed against his chest as he turned to face Lila. "I think we lost them for good, Lila." He said feeling relieved at that weight leaving his shoulders. "I haven't seen the sign of any of them since our last close call. They must have given up for the night."

She threw her arms around him in a desperate hug instead of responding It was one of those motions that were bone-crushing and loaded with things that neither dared say. Neither of them dared to let the other go.

He almost feared that he would wake up, that this would all be some dream and Lila would be gone.

He held onto her like a lifeline.

"We're alright," She whispered to him. It was more like she was trying to make herself believe those phrases. "I can't believe we're alright."

"I can't believe it either." He told her sincerely.

She looked up at him. The look in her eyes made his heart flutter, skip a whole beat even. "You're really here?"

Ray nodded his head.

Through it all, both Ray and Saeran knew that they were doing the right thing, they had to be, and that this was really happening. There was a fear that they were doing something wrong or that this was a dream. Now he wanted to believe what he was saying to her, this time around. "I'm really here. We're safe and nothing's going to hurt you ever again."

It had taken enough out of him to confront the Savior- no, Rika. His entire being had been screaming at him for fighting her back. But Ray had to be strong, had to put up a front for the both of them.

I didn't let you back into the reins for nothing, Saeran would whisper from the abyss of their mind.

Lila clicked her tongue in distaste to that noise and drew his attention from his racing panic.

She shook her head. "Nothing is going to hurt you either, Ray."

She was still concerned for his sake, even now. Saeran couldn't stop the little chuckle that left his lips. This, this they were both feeling was the freedom from their chains and it felt so - liberating.

"Us, then," He corrected himself.

"Us," Lila repeated.

A look crossed her face as she stared down at her phone.

She looked like she was debating something internally like he had been - her eyes flickering from the device to his figure for a few moments.

A frown settled on her face. "Hey... Ray, you need to look at the messenger."

Ray stared at her for a moment, perplexed. "The messenger?" He murmured.

What messenger?

Wait a moment, the RFA.

Realization crossed his face. "Oh, that's right. They're going to be able to track us down if the messenger app is still connected to the Mint Eye database. We need to get rid of it, Lila."

The look that flashed across her face made his stomach flop. He had set up as many barriers as he could between Mint Eye and the messenger before they got out of there.

"Though it'll take a while for them to actually start tracking us. I locked the app with a bunch of protection walls before finding you." He said.

It would take them a while to decode.

They didn't have another hacker in their organization and it would take the Savior a long time to get ahold of someone that could break his code. He was the one that painstakingly rebuilt the platform with his bare hands and retooled the coding. He wouldn't need to remove it just yet.

"Oh, wow, that's amazing," he heard her murmur.

They settled into a quiet silence between themselves. Lila seemed to be holding something back - like she wanted to say more to him but she couldn't bring out the urge. Somehow, Ray just knew what she was thinking about.

It was likely because he was thinking about the same thing.

"Are you still thinking about him?" He asked her, unsure.

"Yeah." She had that deer in the headlights look for a brief moment, then nodded her head. "I just don't know what went wrong. What about... What about Luciel?"

He didn't say anything at first.

This whole time he had been thinking hard about that redhead... no, Luciel. What he wanted to do and what he didn't want to do. There was so much pain and anger in his heart for his twin brother that he couldn't figure out. So much of that anger was from the repeated abuse of elixir and Rika's manipulation but a tiny part of him did not like his brother for reasons beyond that troubled thought.

Something twisted inside of him at the image of his brother dead.

He had long said - no, long begged that he wanted his brother to die. He would laugh and cry and think he wanted to take it all away himself for abandoning him behind and that made him feel so... tainted.

"My father kidnapped him, didn't he? That's what they said. To be honest, I'm not sure yet and I've been thinking about it. I know that everything the savior told me was intended to take advantage of me. I don't want to think about that paradise she claims to have when it's not like that... but when it comes to my brother, I," Ray bit his tongue before he could finish the thought completely. It was hard to talk about, no, it was hard to verbalize.

He always visibly stiffened at the mention of Saeyoung. Even thinking of him in a good light made him want to throw up. His breath began to accelerate - panic, bubbling up in stomach and mind.

Lila squeezed his hand reassuringly. "Hey, if it hurts please don't think about it. I'm sorry I brought him up."

Ray shook his head.

He had to stomach this pain. If he ever wanted to be able to do anything - he couldn't let the fear - the anger control him anymore.

"I - I used to say that I wish he'd be gone from this world but I don't think that's really what I want," He admitted, his voice cracking a bit. "I just don't want to meet him right now. I doubt he ever thought about me since he joined the agency. But... that doesn't mean I want him to be killed by my father... He must stay alive, just like how I stayed alive."

He should have the opportunity to live his own life.

That redhead... Saeyoung should live.

How he lived was up to him. That was what he deserved.

He looked at Lila.

His free hand was digging into the fabric of his slacks against his knees... pain grounded him if he felt like his body was increasingly numb. "Lila, what do you think? What do you think is the right thing?"

Lila hummed. A reassuring sound to his ears and the bated breaths that he was working through. She nodded, "I think you're right. You don't have to want to see him after everything you've gone through. But, as long as he gets out of that mess at least you know he'll be alright somewhere out there."

"...Yeah, at least he was worried about me. That's the last thing I remember about him. I should believe that he actually meant what he said." He said and instantly regretted it.

It was like a knife was digging into his spine. His felt weak underneath him and he dared to collapse. The pain was a phantom that dared to haunt him even now after he had escaped that place. "Sorry. I was trained so that I wouldn't talk in favor of him ever again. Just, Just a second... let me catch my breath."

He was on the brink of hyperventilating - it was swarming again, he fought against it for so long that he hadn't thought it would come back with a vengeance. It was one thing to think he could leave that place and it was another entirely to reverse his pain. Ray knew there was a growing disconnect with his mind.

He was spiraling.

Ray felt legs give way and he fell to his knees - his breath labored as he gasped to fill his lungs back up again.

He felt the disconnect from his surroundings - was he losing control of his body again? Was Saeran going to take over? He wouldn't hurt Lila. He promised. The darkness just terrified Ray no matter where he was. His entire being was a catalyst to hide from pain.

"Ray," Lila murmured just loud enough that he caught sight of her little frown appearing but he couldn't bring himself out of his daze. "Hey, I'm here and everything is alright right now. Count to ten with me, okay? Inhale on one exhale on ten."

"One... two... three..."

"Four... five... six..."

"Seven... eight... nine... ten."

He relaxed into her waiting arms, following the sounds of her voice repeating the numbers for him as she stilled his aching heart as best that she could. He found that this trick was helping- if only because he could focus on her voice better than any other sound.

"How?" Ray began to ask but stopped himself short.

Oh.

When he was researching her there was only so much he had been able to get his hands on. He could only access things through Claude's interface and so much about her had been incomplete because of that. He knows only half pieces of information about her. That included her medical records and what wasn't made obvious to him from watching her social media habits.

He only knew little pieces of her from what she told him and what Claude made clear on a few occasions. Lila had suffered so much in her life - like he had, but she was still standing here with him and always above the abyss.

Lila smiled at him, it was a sad and bittersweet smile. "That was a panic attack. I've dealt with those a lot in my life so I know all the tricks to calm it down before it gets too bad. Don't over think anything just trust me, that's one of the easiest ways to calm down." She told him. "Today has been a very hard day and it's okay for you to feel this way. But, we're going to work on this from now on. Okay?"

"Okay." He nodded his head. She knew well, Ray knew he could always trust in her opinion. He stilled himself and rested his head against her chest. The world still felt so shakey and broken and but the feeling of death wasn't as strong, the dread was still in his throat but it would soon leave. He could hear the gentle thumping of her heart underneath her breast.

It was safe here for them to just take a pause.

They didn't have to worry about being found.

"If you need something to focus on, we can try a few things," She said to him, he could almost see the smile on her face as she dragged him away from his mind again. "When I'm scared or paranoid, I recite the meanings or locations of any flora and fauna I can think of. Do you want to try with me, Ray?"

He made a small noncommittal noise in response.

"Hydrangeas," Lila began to say. "They come in a handful of colors, white, pink, blue, or purple. I think the blue ones are the most lovely of them all. They usually symbolize forgiveness."

Forgiveness. As she had forgiven him for his misdeeds.

"Heliotrope," she recounted. "A poisonous type of flower that can cause pain but, it symbolizes eternal love and devotion."

Compassion. What she had shown him since they first interacted.

Ray found the use of his voice once again to add onto her little words. "I saw a primrose on the way here," he noted.

She hummed, "Mmm, a primrose? You have a better eye than myself then if you caught one. I believe the most common meaning behind those is beautiful. Isn't it, _I can't live without you_?"

Ray smiled. "Yeah, exactly."

They stayed like for a little while longer and just let the storm pass before they braved another one. "We need to check on the RFA." He decided. There was a lot going on with them at that moment. Even if it wasn't to chat with them they needed to know about the situation and decide their next move.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Since we're not in Magenta anymore... Let's see what's happening in the messenger right now."

* * *

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Wisteria... you're with the hacker right now, aren't you?

 **Wisteria:** Yes. The unit will also be hearing from him soon once we collect ourselves.

 **ZEN:** That's a relief. I feel a little better knowing that you're with him. So, Saeran was his name. I'm wondering what Seven's real name is.

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Yoosung is your mind back together?

 **Yoosung:** Kind of... Wisteria, you're so strong like Jeanne d'Arc.

 **Wisteria:** Get a grip, Yoosung. This is real life, not the time to play history - are you still walking around like a mindless sponge?

 **Yoosung:** My mind is so brittle. It feels like it will fall apart any minute.

 **ZEN:** Hey

 **Yoosung:** MOPING EMOJI

 **ZEN:** I understand that you're shocked but do you have any idea how much you scared my beauty out of me

 **Yoosung:** I...

 **ZEN:** when you started crying in the middle of the phone call?

 **Yoosung:** I thought soap operas only exist on T.V. I didn't think I would get to see a real-life example. T_T CRYING EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** Things take a very dramatic turn at the end though and...

 **ZEN:** Hey

 **Yoosung:** This is a reality T_T

 **ZEN:** Would you stop sounding scary? T_T

 **ZEN:** Now I'm getting scared too

 **Yoosung:** Seven what do we do? Is he being tortured or something?

 **Wisteria:** Give him some props, you guys. I think he can handle himself more than you're giving him credit.

 **ZEN:** I agree. I happen to be in the processing of redirecting my thoughts.

 **Yoosung:** You know, in movies and stuff...

 **ZEN:** after almost reaching there...

 **Yoosung:** They'll plunge people's head into water-filled bathtubs

 **ZEN:** stop it

 **Yoosung:** tickle to death

 **ZEN:** Hey stop it!

 **Wisteria:** Don't think about bad things. We have to focus on the positive and keep moving forward.

 **ZEN:** Agreed. Why Yoosung Kim? You cruel...

 **Yoosung:** The problem won't go away just because you run from it. CRYING EMOJI

 **ZEN:** This isn't the best way of comfort... but remember what he told us... while making jokes?

 **Yoosung: ?**

 **Yoosung:** What?

 **ZEN:** He was trained by the agency so torture isn't anything to him.

 **Yoosung:** I really hope he meant it. T_T

 **ZEN:** The unit should do communication or something with the hacker soon.

 **Yoosung:** That's right. T_T

 **Yoosung:** I hope we can soon reach Saeran... and I wish we'd be friends.

 **Wisteria:** He might answer you if you call for him out loud.

"Hey, that's your cue." I nudged the boy to my side.

He had been reading every word as I chatted with these two. His eyes all too easily keeping up with the pace and the back and forth with the boys.

Ray slumped next to me on the couch. He could only read over my shoulder for so long. We were trying to catch our breath before jumping into chaos. It had been a long day for him. He deserved a break even if it was for a moment. We had barely escaped Mint Eye without a scratch. He only had managed to get a hold of his cell phone and laptop in the shuffle, and I was near bare bones as well.

"I think I underestimated your nature," He murmured. "Are you trying to tease me right now?"

"Of course not, Ray. I know you're nervous but you can't avoid them forever. It'll be alright. Zen and Yoosung should be the least of your concerns," I held his hand for reassurance. He squeezed my hand back. "I already know they'll like you, so don't get worked up about it. We're in this together all the way."

"You really think they will accept me?" He asked.

"I have no doubt," I said as I looked back at the chat.

 **Yoosung:** SAERAN-! Help!

 **ZEN:** ANNOYED EMOJI

 **ZEN:** Hey... you're calling out to a guy you haven't even said hello to?

 **Yoosung:** Come on, I think we already said hi... though it was through hacking...

 **Wisteria: lolololol**

 **ZEN:** Do I have to laugh out loud too?

 **Yoosung:** SAERAN - ! T_T

 **ZEN: ...**

 **ZEN:** Hey...

 **Saeran has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** stop it

 **Yoosung:** whaaaaaaaa

 **Yoosung: aaaaaaaaaa**

 **Yoosung: aaaaaaaaaaaaaa**

 **ZEN:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **ZEN:**?!

 **Wisteria:** Glad to see you online now.

 **Saeran:** Yeah. I am here to answer you.

 **Yoosung:** Sae

 **Yoosung:** Saeran...?

 **Saeran:** Yoosung Kim and Zen. Am I right?

 **ZEN:**?!

 **ZEN** Are you the hacker?

 **ZEN:** You are the hacker, right?

 **Wisteria:** That's him.

 **ZEN:** uh okay I mean. You're Seven's brother. Mr. Saeran? Saeran? What should I call you?

 **Wisteria:** No need to be so formal. He'll get used to you after little by little - and then we'll all be friends.

 **Yoosung:** Yes, let's be friends!

 **ZEN:** Ah wait this isn't the time for this

 **ZEN:** anyways if you're really in this chatroom hear us out

 **Yoosung:** Your brother has been kidnapped! By your father!

 **Wisteria:** What a concise summary.

 **ZEN:** Hey you shouldn't phrase it like that.

 **ZEN:** so uhm uh where should I start? My hands are shaking.

 **Wisteria:** Relax. Saeran isn't a scary person.

 **ZEN:** Yeah we know um ... it's just awkward.

 **Yoosung:** Relax Zen. first, what do you want to ask him?

 **ZEN:** Rather than asking, first, we should ask him one by one so that he isn't shocked!

 **Yoosung:** Okay...

 **Wisteria:** He knows everything already discussed in the messenger, boys, so I don't think...

 **ZEN:** Saeran hi... listen... um... Do you know your father is the Prime Minister?

 **Saeran:**...

 **Wisteria:** They come a little strong, don't they?

 **Saeran:**...Is that how that is?

 **Saeran:** I'll contact the C&R intelligence unit.

 **Wisteria:** That would probably be best. Jaehee is waiting... also - She's more put together than these two.

 **Saeran: Yes.**

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** SHOCKED EMOJI

 **Wisteria:** You don't have to be so nervous.

 **Wisteria:** He's easily flustered himself - he's more nervous than you are. Although, you guys did come on a little strong. Maybe work on that a little more? ;;;

 **Yoosung:** it would take ages to talk to us... I guess.

 **ZEN:** Hang on. I think I left a little dumb first impression on him. I'm getting a little depressed.

 **Wisteria:** It's never too late to get to know him-!

 **Yoosung:** She's right. Zen, we weren't ready to talk to him.

 **ZEN:** IKR? He logged in all so sudden. I think I really freaked out back there. Aggghh... Mn. I wanted to help but it's not working how I want it too T_T You talked to him for this opportunity but I blew it, Wisteria.

 **Wisteria:** Take your time. There's a lot more going on right now so no worries.

 **ZEN:** Yes.

 **Yoosung:** Yes. We did our best. He might log in again so let's get ready by then.

 **ZEN:** Sure... normally I don't get so nervous.

 **Wisteria:** Saeran is on the RFA's side, you get that don't you?

 **ZEN:** Yeah. The fact that he logged in while we're here means that he's willing to help us, right?

 **Yoosung:** For now, let's just wrap this up among us and wait nicely for Jaehee.

 **ZEN:** Yeah, got it.

 **ZEN:** Wisteria I

 **Wisteria:**...Lila.

 **ZEN: huh?**

 **Wisteria** : My name. It's - Lila. I don't...

 **Wisteria:** I don't usually let people use it because it makes me uncomfortable. But I...

 **Wisteria:** Wisteria is my nickname and for a long time I went by that name because I liked it better than my name but... After this whole incident, I kind of want people to call me by my real name from now on.

 **Wisteria:** This is a new beginning. So, I should start by revealing that.

 **Yoosung:** Oh, wow! This is so much easier to handle than that other stuff! I can handle a little name change over everything else I've heard today! I'll try to remember that from now on!

 **ZEN:** Lila, huh? I like it! It rolls off the tongue much better if you ask me! A pretty name for a pretty girl.

 **Wisteria:** Psssh Zen, you haven't even seen me yet!

 **Wisteria:** Thank you for saying so though ;;;;;

 **ZEN:** Yoosung- we need to talk about this crisis too. Why don't you come over?

 **Yoosung:**...Why do I have to come over to your place all the time? You should come over to this time.

 **ZEN:** What?

 **Wisteria:** I'll say. You should go over to his place for once, Zen! He's been coming to see you every time so far.

 **Yoosung:** She's right! Why doesn't anyone want to come over to my place?! It's cozy enough!

 **ZEN:** Your place... is tiny.

 **Yoosung:** that's the beauty of it! Come over and make me noodles.

 **ZEN: ...**

 **Wisteria:** You have a lot coming up before the night is over. Food would be great for you guys.

 **ZEN:** You picked that up from an internet cafe didn't you?

 **Yoosung:** Yeah...

 **ZEN:** You think this is a picnic?

 **Yoosung:** Well no...

 **ZEN:** You got beer?

 **Yoosung:** You think I do?

 **ZEN:** In that case, I'm grabbing one on the way over. Make sure you clean your place.

 **Yoosung:** Okay lolol

 **ZEN:** Lila... I'll go get ready now.

 **Wisteria:** Okay! Wish luck to Saeran and the intelligence unit you two!

 **ZEN:** Of course! Good luck!

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Wee! First guest ever-! HAPPY EMOJI

 **Wisteria** Is he really the first guest? Wouldn't you Mother be the first?

 **Yoosung: T_T** Oh, Lila, could you tell Saeran that I'm sorry about being so freaked out back there? And could you tell him to pls save Seven?

 **Wisteria:** That's kind of what he's already doing but I'll relay the apology.

 **Yoosung:** You're amazing. Saeran, you're really good at hacking, right? I knew that he's much much much... so much better than Seven.

 **Wisteria:** There's no hiding that the both of them are smart.

 **Yoosung:** True... um, I won't think any further. I need to clean up my place.

 **Wisteria:** Hey, Yoosung.

 **Yoosung:** Yeah?

 **Wisteria:** We're still on for that art lesson when all of this is over, alright? I need an afternoon to just paint and relax for once. I think we all need that.

 **Yoosung:** Oh! I can't wait! HAPPY EMOJI

 **Yoosung:** I'm rooting for you.

 **Yoosung has left the chatroom.**

* * *

I set my phone down on the table and rose to find him setting up his laptop. He had gotten a little flustered from Yoosung and Zen but he was back to his normal self now that he was alone.

The chatroom was an exciting place... not exactly easy to navigate when your relationships weren't forged on neutral grounds. He had a few things to do before everything would be ready to make the line go through with Jumin and Jaehee, but he was getting close to establishing a connection.

His shoulders were hunched and he looked like he was deep in thought.

"Hey," I rested my hand against his shoulder. "Are you alright?"

His lips curled in a small frown.

He looked down at the table and then back up at me, "Lila... I'm nervous. I spent more than six months preparing this app, to bring you to Magenta. I connected our universes with just a junker phone to do it. I analyzed my brother's codes and imitated them. That's basically the only thing that I've done for those six months, along with hating the RFA. But now, I'm going back to who I really am."

Ray was rightly nervous.

Everything had been so confusing for him. His devotion to Rika had been so strong - and fighting against it was... He was much braver than I knew. Today had been a long day. The last few days, in particular, had been a lot on the both of us and it showed even if we were addressing it just yet. He was run ragged, and I was exhausted but we had to push through.

We survived.

We endured.

Just like Wisteria.

"You can do this," I affirmed. "You're amazing and I'm with you all the way no matter what happens, okay?"

"You're so amazing, Lila. I still can't believe we're together like this. You keep your head up no matter what comes at you, thank you for being so sweet. I only hope that I can be as half as great as you are, princess." He murmured.

My face burned with embarrassment. What was my heart doing in my chest? Ray had never managed to say something quite that brazen to my face was definitely new to me, and new to him.

"I..." I babbled, unsure how to respond.

He picked up on that with a little smile. His own face was a little flush but none too bad as mine was. "I'm sorry, was that too bold of me?"

"No, no, that was fine. I'm just glad to see you aren't running away after saying something like that," I told him with a little laugh. "You're getting a little braver after everything, Ray."

His nerves flooded to the surface. He looked a little uncertain as he asked, "That's a good thing, right?"

"Of course," I nodded. "But, Ray, are you okay with them thinking you're actually just... well, Saeran?"

"Well... it's true we both inhabit this body although we aren't the same being by any means yet. Nobody really... knows about myself fully except for you and... those others. I think it would muddy the tides if I were completely honest with them about this at first. They won't likely have an issue with me after all that I have done." Ray's shoulders slumped. "If all goes well, I'll admit my condition in due time."

"If you think that's the best way to handle it than I'm with you," I reminded him with a small smile.

"So now, let's return C&R's contact."

* * *

 _JUMIN_

Jumin had only arrived fifteen minutes prior to this. He entered the workplace after checking over the chat logs from Lila, she and the hacker had managed to get to safety and out of whatever harm's way, they were tangled up in. They now could only wait for contact to happen.

Lila promised it would work out and he faith in this woman.

"Ma'am, take a look at this!" a member of the crew called out from across the room.

Jaehee was startled as one of the members of the crew grabbed her attention and pointed to a message that had just sprung up in their inbox. It was a communication link. It was from the hacker himself, she looked back to Jumin to inform him of the news. "Oh! At last! Mr. Han! We finally have a reply!"

"...So it seems." Jumin said, taking a few steps forward to get a peak from behind Jaehee.

Another member of the crew looked up from hos monitor with a raised eyebrow"What should we tell him? He wants to talk in real-audio."

Jaehee handed Jumin a headset and looked back at the call screen. "Mr. Han will talk to him in person. Sir, please use this."

The screen sprang to life and the video call was open. It revealed a man on the other side with bleached locks and mint eyes. His facial structure was similar to Luciel, Jumin concluded on the first speculation. There was no doubt in his mind that they were related. "Alright." Jumin adjusted his the headset into place and looked at the screen in front of Jaehee. "Can you hear me?"

"...Yes." The boy confirmed.

Jumin wasted no time. "It's a pleasure to meet you, it's Saeran Choi, isn't it? You're Luciel's twin brother. I am..."

Unlike Luciel, this boy was direct and to the point. He seemed to already have a grasp on the severity of things and knew how to keep things simple. He finished his thought for him, "Jumin Han, the director of C&R, I already know."

"Then I believe this conversation will be easy, then" Jumin rested his hand against his hip. "That means this will run smoothly."

"...You look very much like your brother, except for your hair," Jaehee commented. She readjusted her glasses upon her face.

He was watching him carefully. "Am I mistaken if I consider your reply as a favorable sign to us?" Jumin inquired.

He nodded his head in response. Saeran was direct and didn't seem to want to waste any time. He was calm as he spoke, "No, you're not mistaken. Lila helped me to see the truth."

"I see," Jaehee murmured to herself. "Her role was crucial, after all."

Jumin took this information in. As long as he wasn't fighting against them any more than that would be brushed to the side for now. "In that case, for now, let's pretend your assault on the messenger never happened," Jumin said.

"Let's discuss what you need. I believe you already picked up details from our contact, but your brother, Luciel, is missing. I do not wish to talk about your father, the Prime Minister. I assume you already know what you need to know about him. We require two things from you. First, finding Luciel in collaboration with C&R's intelligence unit. Second, saving Luciel without inducing the Prime Minister's retaliation... I know both of them are a challenge."

"I need the case number for the prosecution investigations and the email the Prime Minister sent you," Saeran responded simply. "They were both on my other computer, but right now I don't have them. I'll get to work as soon as I have them."

Their original base must have been comprised during their escape. If he didn't have what he once did then it meant they would need a helping hand to get things finished from here. It made sense but it was no trouble at all to procure those pieces of information for Luciel's brother, they would have to sent in a snap.

Jumin nodded, "Very well, and one more thing. I'm not sure if these can help you to reach our joint goal, but I have something I want to give you."

"What are those?" Saeran asked. His eyes flickered left and right across his screen as he received the message on his end and paused, only returning his gaze to the camera when Jumin opened his mouth to explain.

"They are from your brother and V. Take a look and use them well," Jumin crossed his arms over his chest. "We already reviewed what they're about. In summary, they contain atrocities that could finish your father's invisible tyranny once and for all if the public were made aware."

Saeran was hesitant now, if only for a brief moment. His expression barely flickered between worry and then back to neutral. "...Do they contain details about us?" He asked, finally.

"The secret about his illegitimate sons are the core contents inside," Jumin confirmed for him.

Saeran grimaced as if he were searching for an answer in the meaning. "What do you want me to do with these?"

"The tide might turn in our favor... if we spill some of those details and announce that he's kidnapped Luciel."

Saeran shook his head defiantly. "It's too dangerous for that," he said simply. "He'll definitely try to bite back if we kick his back with that... and once the world knows about us..."

This time, Jumin was the one to butt in and make a point. "Which is why I would you to think thoroughly before you decide to unleash them and notify C&R. Not only because it involves you and Luciel, but given the other pieces of information. And discussion with me should not be optional. Because we happen to be analyzing every high authority related to each of these secrets."

Saeran settled back in his seat, attuned to listen in. He seemed to be looking just beyond the camera for a moment but then returned his gaze, he caved after this and nodded. "Then tell me what you have analyzed so far," he said.

"Assistant Kang, relay to him what you have on a regular basis."

Jaehee nodded her head. She already had her hands in motion preparing the intel to go. "Understood."

Now that that was out in the open there was another issue to deal with. Jumin wanted to make sure he understood where the trust lied for this young man. "The reason why we believe you are not just because you're Luciel's brother. It's also because we trust both V and the RFA,"

"Additionally," Jumin added. "It's because of what my judgment about Lila, who is currently with you... after so many days of observations, I determined she's a trustworthy person. So I would like you to promise me one more thing. Promise on her, on V, and on your brother... that you won't betray us."

Jumin wasn't looking at him in person but he was searching the kid's face for any shred of mistrust or lies. He found none as he checked him over a few more times and settled for his answer.

"... I might not be perfect but I won't betray anybody. I promise." Saeran said.

"Very well. Then I'll count on you, and let the joint project begin. From now on, I want all staff members of the unit to follow his orders."

* * *

 **Jaehee Kang has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Jaehee Kang:** Lila, you heard Mr. Saeran talking to Mr. Han, didn't you?

 **Wisteria:** I did. I'm glad it's all worked out so well.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Me too. Right you are! At last, Mr. Saeran had officially joined the unit. Should I say he's joined or should I say... that we finally have an appropriate head of the unit?

 **Wisteria:** It took so long but I'm glad it's come together.

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're right. It would be perfect... once Luciel is back.

 **V has entered the chatroom.**

 **V:** That's good news.

 **Jaehee Kang:** V! I relayed what you sent to Saeran.

 **V:** Thank you.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Lila has done a splendid job. My sincerest appreciations!

 **Wisteria:** It was all for Saeran.

 **V:**...Which is why I'm most grateful. Jaehee, how is the situation?

 **Jaehee Kang:** He's remarkable. In fact, he hacked the secret agency that Luciel's been working for just now.

 **V:** The agency? ...You mean by himself?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Almost by himself.

 **Wisteria:** Genius, isn't he?

 **Jaehee Kang:** I knew but witnessing it... It's a wonder. And, miraculously, he found the classified intel that Luciel's colleague went missing almost the same time as he did. For now, he's hacking the transmitter the said colleague was wearing.

 **V:** That's an amazing amount of progress.

 **V:** But Luciel's... colleague? I've never heard of him.

 **Jaehee Kang:** That's what I've been wondering about as well.

 **Wisteria:** His colleague wouldn't have... betrayed him, would he?

 **Jaehee Kang:** We can't rule that out. In order for us to find out what's waiting for us. It appears Mr. Saeran will be working through the night. I wish we could at least find out whether Luciel is alive...

 **V:** Uh... I'm surprised Saeran is so cooperative.

 **V:** I mean, he hated Luciel so much.

 **Wisteria:** Saeran is a lot better than last time. You'll be surprised at how well he's doing.

 **V:** And that's because you're with him, Lila.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I see... He's the type to work quietly without making a fuss. That's unlike Luciel completely.

 **V:** I presume my call would be unwelcome since he's busy.

 **Wisteria:** I wouldn't go that far but if you want to get in touch with him, please direct your calls to me.

 **V:** I will.

 **Jaehee Kang:** V, why don't you join us as well? Then we'll grasp the situation much faster.

 **V:** Um... There's some unfinished business I must take care of.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Speaking of which, where are you right now?

 **Wisteria:** V... What are you doing?

 **V:**...

 **V:** There's a project I must wrap up.

 **V:** I'm sorry to tell you this in the middle of a crisis. However, with Jumin and Saeran... I think my concern wouldn't be necessary.

 **Wisteria:** Well, with Jumin and Saeran working together, now, everything is going to run smoothly. Nothing can stop us now.

 **Jaehee Kang:** She's right. I didn't expect their collaboration to be this productive... and it looked like, Luciel and Jumin would make very bad partners if the situation arose.

 **V:**...I think that's an interesting point you have. In that case, Jaehee, Lila, please send my regards to Jumin and Saeran.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, sir.

 **Wisteria:** You should want to do that yourself.

 **Jaehee Kang:** You're not leaving somewhere for a long time, are you?

 **V:** I'll be gone somewhat long. I'll make sure to check on the RFA to see whether there is any trouble.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, sir...

 **Wisteria:** Where are you going?

 **V:**...

 **V:** I'm going to change the future.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Pardon?

 **V:** Jaehee... Thank you so much for your hard work, as always.

 **Jaehee Kang:** It's nothing. It's my duty.

 **V:** And thank you too. Lila, I'm eternally and sincerely grateful for everything you've done. Now, farewell.

 **Jaehee Kang:** I'll be waiting for your call.

 **Wisteria:** V, what did I tell the last time we talked about -

 **Wisteria:** Don't do something ra

 **V:** I hope you'll always stay healthy.

 **V has left the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:** sh.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Am I mistaken to think that V is... getting a little distant from us.

 **Wisteria:**...I hope not.

 **Jaehee Kang: ...**

 **Jumin Han has entered the chatroom**

 **Jumin Han:** We discovered where the signal is being transmitted from.

 **Jaehee Kang: ?!** Already?!

 **Jumin Han:** I see you're also here, Lila.

 **Wisteria:** So... you might know where they are.

 **Jumin Han:** It's apparently close to the cathedral Rika used to attend...

 **Jaehee Kang:** Where is it? Is it around your neighborhood?

 **Wisteria:** Is that where... Luciel and Saeran are from?

 **Jumin Han:** Perhaps. If I am not mistaken, Saeran hesitated a little as he provided the intel. It's close to one of C&R's facilities. I should send people there. Could you work on this right now?

 **Jaehee Kang:** Yes, sir. All we need to do is watch the place from afar, is it not?

 **Jumin Han:** Yes.

 **Jaehee Kang:** Right away, sir. Please excuse me first, Lila.

 **Jaehee Kang has left the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria:** Why a cathedral, I wonder...?

 **Jumin Han:** I do not understand at all. Could it be...?

 **Wisteria:** What's wrong?

 **Jumin Han:** Hold on. The unit summons here again. Lila, I appreciate your hard work.

 **Wisteria:** Yes, let's stay focused.

 **Jumin Han:** Now, please excuse me as well.

 **Jumin Han has left the chatroom.**

* * *

I took it upon myself to check out the contents of his cabin while Saeran worked with the C&R unit.

This cabin was vaguely familiar to me for some reason but I couldn't recall why. It was deep in the mountains and a few miles away from the Magenta. It was far enough and hidden enough that you wouldn't find it unless you knew what you wanted to find. It was somebody's holiday cabin - it was stocked with a minimal amount of essentials but enough that it would get us by until we made our next move with the RFA.

I was desperate for a hot shower as well but I knew that could wait. Because there was another problem to consider. Neither of us had been able to eat anything substantial in days. It was a surprise that either of us had been able to make it this long given the physical strain. I knew very well how difficult it was to get by with little to nothing in my system, and I hated to think it but Ray definitely knew that same feeling in some regard even if it hadn't crossed his mind yet. He was used to working without breaks.

I wonder what he might want.

I checked my phone.

* * *

 **Saeran has entered the chatroom.**

 **Wisteria has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran:** Lila, where are you?

 **Wisteria:** The kitchen. I know you haven't eaten in a while.

 **Saeran:** Then...

 **Saeran:** Can I get something sweet?

 **Wisteria:** Of course. I'll whip something together in a jiffy.

 **Saeran:** Lila I...

 **Saeran:** I found out where my brother could be.

 **Saeran:** It's... the place where we used to live as children.

 **Wisteria:** Oh... The place where you have some unpleasant memories.

 **Saeran:** That's the place... where tons of things I'd hate to remember took place.

 **Saeran:** But that's also the place where most of my memories with my brother are from.

 **Saeran:** The C&R told me that there are some vicious-looking men standing guide outside the house.

 **Wisteria:** You... You should take a break soon, okay? Are you feeling alright?

 **Saeran:** Yes. I can do this because you're with me.

 **Yoosung has entered the chatroom.**

 **Saeran:** Oh

 **Yoosung:** Saeran!

 **Yoosung:** Lila...

 **Saeran:** Yoosung Kim...

 **Yoosung:** You can just call me Yoosung...

 **Wisteria:** Did you see the news?

 **Yoosung:** I read Jumin's log from earlier. I'm so glad you found him! Is Seven safe?

 **Saeran:** We don't know... not yet.

 **Saeran:** But he might be in danger.

 **Yoosung:**?!

 **Saeran:** There are security guards at that place...

 **Yoosung:** Then what should we do? If we call the police...

 **Saeran:** That won't work.

 **Saeran:** The police have been bribbed and are already on the Prime Minister's side.

 **Yoosung:** Waah! If justice isn't on our side how do we win? T_T

 **Wisteria:** We have to stay calm first off, Yoosung.

 **Yoosung:** You're right. Um, what should I do?

 **Saeran:** There's only one way. Is that Zen with you right now?

 **Yoosung:** Yep. Want me to call him?

 **Saeran:** Yes.

 **Yoosung:** Just a sec.

 **ZEN has entered the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:** Hey Saeran.

 **ZEN:** And hey, Lila.

 **Wisteria:** This is where you'll be able to help, Zen.

 **Saeran:** I need a favor.

 **ZEN:** Oh, what is it? Just tell me and I'll do it.

 **Yoosung:** Wow. It's so cool to see you two talking.

 **Saeran:** I'm going to publish an article on all the main news sites on the web portals.

 **ZEN:** Seriously?!

 **Yoosung:** What?!

 **Saeran:** I need you to be in the video that will be on the news and read some scripts.

 **ZEN:** What? You want me to be the announcer?

 **Saeran:** If you put it that way...

 **Wisteria:** Zen, the entire country would get to see your face. Are you okay with that?

 **Yoosung:** So... is he going to reveal the secrets about you and Seven?

 **Saeran:** I never mentioned what the scripts are about. Smart.

 **Saeran:** The C&R were against revealing every detail.

 **Saeran:** I'm going to reveal my brother and I's childhood and where he seems to be right now.

 **ZEN:** Ah.

 **Wisteria:** The public power would have to step in at that point.

 **Yoosung:** It will!

 **ZEN:** Now I get it. But by... publishing this article don't you mean that you'll publish it by hacking?

 **Saeran:** Yes.

 **Wisteria:** Will people trust us, though if we do that...?

 **Saeran:** Don't worry.

 **Saeran:** I'll make it look like a technical problem.

 **ZEN:** Aha...

 **Yoosung:** Whoa - Saeran. You're really smart.

 **ZEN:** Man. Your family got some brains.

 **Yoosung:** His father is the Prime Minister, after all.

 **Saeran:**...Though he'll soon be a criminal.

 **Yoosung:**?! Oh. Sorry, Saeran.

 **Saeran:** You didn't do anything wrong.

 **Wisteria:** We're risking a lot too. I'm hoping for the best.

 **Saeran:** I'll make sure there's no mistake.

 **Saeran:** This is the only way.

 **ZEN:** You can leave the announcement to me! I got the best vocal ability in the RFA, I'll make the best announcer. I'll gladly show my face... for my friend.

 **Saeran:** Okay.

 **Yoosung:** But Zen won't be in danger after the news, will he?

 **Saeran:** There will be minor threats.

 **ZEN:** What?

 **Saeran:** but they'll be more people trying to shield him. According to the analysis by the C&R advertisement department.

 **Yoosung:** I feel like we're invincible with Jumin's power and your power together.

 **ZEN:** Agreed! I would hate to have both of you as my enemies.

 **ZEN:** In that case, when's the date?

 **Saeran:** The article will be released tomorrow at noon. So we'll start filming around eight tomorrow.

 **ZEN:** What? That's not much time.

 **Wisteria:** We are in a bit of time crunch.

 **Saeran:** Chief assistant Jaehee Kang will give you the scripts before sunrise.

 **ZEN:**...okay.

 **Yoosung:** What a title for her lol

 **ZEN:** I should rehearse early in the morning.

 **Saeran:** Now, Lila... I should return to hacking.

 **Wisteria:** Aren't your eyes sore by now though?

 **Saeran:** This is

 **Saeran:** nothing,

 **Saeran:** I'll be working and I'll be waiting for you.

 **Saeran has left the chatroom.**

 **ZEN:**...He's so coolheaded.

 **Yoosung:** He's as smart as Seven. But his personality is so different.

 **Wisteria:** I told you he's a kind person.

 **ZEN:** I think that's the case for you, Lila.

 **ZEN:** But shouldn't we do something about what he calls us...?

 **Yoosung:** But it's fun - it feels like he's calling names of game characters lololol

 **ZEN:** Yoosung Kim.

 **Yoosung:** Lolololol

 **ZEN:** Ah man. I'm filming tomorrow morning and I had beer...

 **Yoosung:**? So what?

 **Wisteria:** It's alright. You always look great. No worries, Zen.

 **ZEN:** Of course I do.

 **ZEN:** But still... I should have a skin massage and go straight to bed.

 **ZEN:** Yoosung, I need to use your bed.

 **Yoosung:** Zen... you're gonna sleep here tonight?

 **ZEN:** I already missed the time for skin to regenerate,

 **ZEN:** Lila, let me say goodnight to you now.

 **Wisteria:** Good night!

 **ZEN:** Thanks!

 **ZEN has left the chatroom.**

 **Yoosung:** Am I going to sleep on the floor tonight...?

 **Wisteria:** Are you going to sacrifice yourself for the greater good and the primadonna?

 **Yoosung: lolololol**

 **Yoosung:** Yeah. I should just deal with it when Seven's life is on the line. I should cut some cucumbers for Zen.

 **Wisteria:** Good luck.

 **Yoosung:** Lila, now that we have Saeran we're getting things done so much faster. Thank you so much for helping us.

 **Wisteria:** It was nothing, Yoosung. I just want everything to work out well for everything.

 **Yoosung:** Me too.

 **Yoosung:** Take care of Saeran!

 **Wisteria:** You can count on me.

 **Yoosung:** Good luck, everyone!

 **Yoosung has left the chatroom.**

* * *

 _SAERAN_

Ray sighed.

 _This and that... that and this... It's all starting to come together quicker than I expected._ All he needed was to rub his eyes away from the exhaustion. This was nothing compared to the endless nights that his body was accustomed to maneuvering and it was a second-learned instinct at this point to work his fingers to the bone - he didn't want to disappoint anyone - he couldn't imagine making mistakes as he grilled himself to focus on the present. He rested his head against the back of the couch.

He felt a shadow block the artificial lights.

Ray opened his eyes and caught sight of Lila, she looked displeased with a little frown on her face. She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "You look like you're thinking too hard again. You need to cool down before you go back to work, Ray. You've got a lot done in a short amount of time but you can't forget to take a moment for yourself."

Thinking too hard? Ah. She was referring to what he was focused on when they still in Mint Eye. His thoughts were always scattered and all over the place as he considered this or that, it was muddled most of the time but he could manage. When he was still in love with the idea of Lila and not the person in those first days, when he wanted to dance around her feelings by being the nicest that he could be to her before he knew that it was possible to talk to her as more than just an idea.

She was far better than just the idea that had once been in his head. She was far better than just that idea. A girl that was always interested in learning about him and didn't bat an eyelash when he might have said something too out of line - she only smiled and reminded him that he needed to be patient - needed to remember that things too time to get anywhere.

It was more than just watching a girl through her phone.

It was a long time ago, wasn't it?

When they first meet one another?

Those days at Mint Eye were so far beyond them now that they were here. At least it felt that way to him. She had been very adamant before and wanted to joke around, it was a nicer memory among the muddled pains of his past. He might still be nervous and wary of the delicate brushes or fingers wrapped around his own but he was working on that as well.

"Are you going to tell the RFA about yourself soon?" She inquired as she plopped down on the couch next to him. It was a comfortable distance for the moment but he did crave something more. "They've been calling you Saeran this whole time, doesn't that bother you? I know you said it didn't but I'm a little worried. You're your own identity."

"They already know about... my condition, don't they?" He wasn't exactly sure what they did and didn't know from the time they had even learned of his existence. He hadn't had a chance to even look for that in midst of all of the chaos. Lila had been the one to shore the tides for him and make things swing in his favor. Wouldn't they think less of him knowing he wasn't who they thought? That he was just a mess in this body?

He settled for this. "It was just easier for them to call me Saeran for now. Everything is already messed up right now. It's a lot less to deal with if I let it slide."

"Yeah, I guess it would throw them off given all that's happening," Lila seemed to agree with the sentiment but shook it off. "But still, you and he aren't the same, you have your own tastes and perspectives. We'll have to be honest with them later... about you and me, but I have faith in them. They'll still trust you knowing more about you, I know of it so don't worry so hard."

Ray slowly nodded his head. She always had a point even if he didn't want to try to venture out into the unknown this soon again. She had her own view and it usually leaned towards the right sort. Lila had her own secrets that were limited to just a handful of people. Despite the fact that he and she had made it out of danger didn't mean there wasn't more still out there. The Savior - no, no, he was doing it again - Rika and Claude both had an access to that other world just as much as they did. "What about you...? You don't want to go tell them about your world either, do you?"

"That's..." Lila's shoulders slumped forwards. "I'm going to worry about that later as well."

That was a heavyweight to bare. He couldn't imagine what she was thinking about and going through when it came to her own problems. Here she was focused on others, about him, about his brother, and about the RFA over her own thoughts. Her face seemed to travel through that trip of emotions for a moment until she settled on a happier thought. Her head turning to face him with a big smile. "It's not really good to focus on something so grim. I have an idea," Her eyes lit up like fireworks. "Do you want to finish our game of twenty questions? We never did get past three questions."

"No, I suppose we didn't." Ray mused, "I can spare a few moments for you, always."

He thought about that for a moment. What would interest him the most? There was a lot that he didn't know but he supposed that he could start out with something small and then work his way up to something stronger or more informative. That was how she played the game to start with if he remembered how she held his hand through his self-pity and smiled at him. "What did you want to be when you were little?"

"I thought I would be a florist and help run my Grandparents gardens, actually." Lila murmured. Her eyes gazing up at him. "I still do stuff like that during my weekends but my real passion was art in the end. What about you?"

Ray mused, "...I've never told anyone about this before but, I always thought of working in an ice cream shop would be nice."

"That's adorable, Saeran. After all of this you'll be able to find something like that, something you're passionate about and fulfills you," She reached up and caressed his cheek with her right hand. The small digits rubbing against his fragile skin. He wanted to tell her that he had already found something like that - his cheeks burned red at the idea of something brazen.

"You're something like that," He told her sincerely.

Lila's cheeks turned beet red. Her hands dropped back into her lap. "I'm not used to you being this bold I mean. Uh, um, oh! Do you have anything you want to do when we have a day without worry?"

"...I'd like to watch the clouds with you, have a picnic underneath a shady tree." He mused. That would be nice - a gentle breeze and no worries above him - just the sky and its amass system of clouds and stars with Lila at his side.

"I'd like that," Lila agreed.

Saeran liked that as well. "What about you, is there something you want to do when it's just the two of us?"

"I'd just like to sit down and draw you someday for my personal collection. You know... I couldn't stop thinking about you that whole time I was couped up. I spent so much time trying to remember your face. I ended up drawing you so many times... They're not as nice as the real thing, but I think that's just because I couldn't capture your likeness if I wanted to..." There was a yawn underneath those words that she tried to hide but he knew better. She had been putting off her own exhaustion just as he was.

"Me?" He inquired.

"Well, I haven't been able to focus like I used to. I have a set of books back at my apartment where I've done pieces of my friends or my sister. It's kind of strange I guess, but I always draw my energy from looking at others. It doesn't really matter who it is sometimes but I always like finding something different. You can always learn something new about somebody from another angle, another perspective." To prove her own point, she shimmied across the cloud and allowed herself to lay down - splayed across his lap.

Oh God, his face was hot.

Lila laughed - it was a joyous sound. The pit in his stomach thought that she was laughing at his expense but it wasn't like that at all. "I think I like this one," she couldn't help but tease him. "I haven't seen you turn that pink in a long time, oh my gosh. You're still so cute, Ray." She wasn't laughing at him. She thought he was cute.

What else could he focus on?

Oh, right, her own family. Lila had often spoken well of her own older sister and it had been obvious to him that she had missed her as long as they had been separated. It was one of the few things that he knew for certain when he thought of Lila's past. She was always close to her only... that sister. There was a hiss of something in the back of his mind that reminded him that Lila didn't have one sister - was she even aware of that fact? A lot of his recent memories were muddled from the elixir and gaps from when Saeran was in control of his body.

It seemed like something that would have happened but it pained him to struggle for memories that weren't necessarily his own.

He pushed it as far away from him as he could. There was another purpose in this; Maybe bringing that up could help some of his own self-doubt about Saeyoung?

"...Do you miss your sister?" He asked.

Lila stiffened as her laughter died down.

She didn't talk much about her extended family after all this time that they had spent together. Her relationship with her family was like his own. Even when she spoke fondly of her home, there was always something she didn't address. She barely mentioned them on her profiles he had seen. He knew she loved her sister and their relationship was something that was strong since she spoke to her often.

There was her father that he knew for months now. She didn't need to say anything about him. She hated the man left at Mint Eye at Rika's side. Ray and Saeran had noticed the way she shifted, the way she folded herself in. In the months that he had been with Rika, Claude was always there in the background. He had risen to Rika's side somehow around the time he listened to her and followed to Magenta, and left V - a man who knew how to talk and use his words as tools, similar to Rika herself.

She sighed, the answer flooding to the surface as she did. "I do... but I know she's alright. I'll see her again someday. She's kind of a live wire and loves to play pranks. She always makes me laugh and feel better when I'm scared. She was my rock for a long time after our childhood. That's the bond we have. I'm going to make sure you have the chance to choose whether you see Luciel or not on your own terms, not on the terms of that man and whatever he's done. You deserve that."

Yeah.

That was what he wanted so badly, he thought.

"What was it like... in that world. I only know through your eyes."

"Hey. That's not how it works, Ray, it was my turn," She said through a little pout. "But I'll answer since I like you so much. I lived in a tiny apartment that my Grandma helps me pay for... It's a little messy but its organized the way I like it... My kitchen is a makeshift art studio and I procrastinate working by making tea and cookies... I visit the grocery and the local cafe shop often when I can't think... I call my sister once a day and we talk about everything... sometimes I stare out the window for hours when there are rainstorms."

"I live in the city so I don't get to see grass or trees often..." She yawned, yet again. "When it rains I like to stand outside and splash in the puddles... It's not different from this place... The flowers are always the same no matter where I am... There's not a lot of gaps in what makes these places different. So many things are the same but they have different names or different looks from what I'm used to but it's almost identical. The only difference that I know is this place has you... and I never want to leave that..." She trailed off into a little whisper of mumbles that failed to make sense.

Her voice and breath were soft.

"Do you think... you'll want to return back to that world one day?" There was tension in his jaw. It was where she was from. There was no telling what she thought about that. If she wanted to return to that place than he couldn't tell her no - it wasn't his place. Would she want to stay here with him? Would she want to go with him? Could he see the world with his own eyes and watch as the colors expanded to things he had never seen before with her? Like he had in his own dreams?

"Do you think... I could come with you?"

She had gone quiet.

"Lila?" He inquired. Saeran looked down to see that she had fallen asleep on his lap. She looked peaceful. That was a feeling he had taken for granted before and to see her - so calm - so resolute with him made his heart swell. He brushed some loose strands from her face with a little sigh.

She had been keeping herself awake for him and he knew it. How she had managed to hold up this long as a testament to her character. "You fell asleep, huh?" He murmured.

"Sleep well, princess."

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTE.

Wow. I'm actually updating again. This took longer than I thought but that's because I kept getting side-tracked by my own ideas for the future.


	29. UPDATE!

Haha. So, I forgot to post that I've totally re-vamped the story, turned it on its head, and you can read the new version on my page. I can't believe I forgot to update this story to let you guys know. Convallaria Majalis, is where you're going to find the story from now on. Follow that! Review that! Do as you please! If you want to keep up with it, that's the place to be.


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